The definition of the two drinks

First of all, let's start with a definition of what is meant when the terms energy drink and sports drink are mentioned.

An energy drink is the delicious drink that can be bought in the fridge at various supermarkets. Most often, these drinks contain carbonation and caffeine.

This could, for example, be one of the very well-known brands such as Red Bull, Mønster or X-Ray.

Sports drinks mean the end product you get, for example by mixing some of Purepower's energy powder in water.

The purpose of a sports drink is to replace the lost amount of fluid and to supply energy in the form of carbohydrate to maintain a stable blood sugar level.

Energy powders usually contain fructose, which is a rapidly absorbed carbohydrate, and maltodextrin, which is a slowly absorbed carbohydrate. A combination of these in a ratio of 1:2 ensures a stable performance during a hard workout.

In the media spotlight

Over the past few years, energy drinks have received a lot of negative publicity in the media. It is usually not these products that pop up when you think about what you should consume during physical activity in order to perform most optimally - and yet they are still advertised massively for various sports events.

But could it still make sense to drink an energy drink during physical activity?

The answer to this question must be "Well, meeeen..."
This is because energy drinks often contain caffeine, which has a "positive" effect on performance as it inhibits the receptors in the brain that make you lethargic. This feels like an "energy boost", which can be convenient at times of stress.

Caffeine previously featured on the official doping list from the international doping organization Wada, but is now permitted to be consumed in connection with sports performance. This is presumably due to the fact that it is such a "normal" ergogenic substance. The vast majority of athletes were probably also not satisfied with not having to consume their morning coffee on competition days - unless it was caffeine-free and labeled.

An ergogenic substance is a substance that is not naturally found in the body, but can be consumed in the form of liquid or nutrition - like caffeine in morning coffee. The improvement in performance will typically be relatively low when consuming caffeine, since, as previously mentioned, it simply inhibits the receptors in the brain, which feels like an "energy kick" without, as such, contributing anything effective to the body.

In addition to caffeine, energy drinks naturally also contain energy - in the form of carbohydrates. As previously mentioned, it does not matter what kind of carbohydrates are used, as well as the composition of these. This is also where the significant difference between energy drinks and sports drinks must be found, as energy drinks often use fructose, i.e. single-component, rapidly absorbable carbohydrates, as this is significantly cheaper than other forms of carbohydrates.

As an athlete, however, the most obvious difference is that energy drinks often contain carbon dioxide, which is not obvious to use in stressful sports situations, as you don't want to sit and burp while pushing yourself to the limit.

Energy drinks taste good and are often compared to an alternative to soft drinks, which is possibly also one of the main reasons why more children and young people start using these products. Caffeine can be addictive, which creates some ethical issues when children and young people start consuming large amounts, and thereby are exposed to the influence of caffeine at such an early age that it can lead to addiction.

So what should you choose?

Of course, it depends on your desired usage situation - but if you have to perform during training, then a sports drink would clearly be preferable! There are a lot of different energy powder products out there, which just need to be mixed with water to have a delicious sports drink in the can during training - you just have to be aware of the contents.

If you belong to the group of people who sweat a lot during training and competitions, it is recommended to use an energy powder with electrolytes, as these help to supply minerals, maintain the salt balance and thus reduce recovery time afterwards.

A tip from the ambassador

If, on the other hand, you do not want to use energy drinks or sports drinks during your training or competitions, products such as caffeine pills or coffee can be possible supplements.

If, on the other hand, you focus on giving your body the best possible conditions in the form of a stable salt/fluid balance, you could possibly use hydrotabs with electrolytes in the water bottle.

So do you want to fill the water bottle with coffee or a refreshing sports drink? - At least I know what I choose when I have to perform for my training 😉