Energy drinks and energy shots combine caffeine with other ingredients to boost energy. They usually contain a blend of nutrients and herbal additives such as taurine or guarana that is suppose to affect exercise and mental performance. Other common ingredients include vitamin B12, phenylalanine, methylhexaneamine (banned substance), ma huang (ephedrine with quantity limit restrictions) and ginseng. Labels for the energy drinks often don’t list all ingredients included. Listed and unlisted ingredients can interact with medications you may be taking or could be on your sport’s banned substances list.
There have been many instances where athletes did not know they had taken a banned substance until they were notified that they had failed a drug test. These athletes knew they had not intentionally ingested a banned substance and it was eventually linked back to an energy drink consumed. Reading the label of any product you take is a must, but this does not always give you the total picture.
Stay tuned for the 3rd installment of Are Energy Drinks Risky for Athletes?
