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Best Energy Drink for a Workout in 2021
Working out is amazing - when I first started in high school, it quickly went from my friend showing me the bench press to me pounding three energy drinks a day and hitting the gym non-stop, to the point where I had to take a few weeks off to let my body recover.
Needless to say I went overboard - but the point is, working out is awesome. And maybe, I should have done more leg days instead of benching all the time...
But if you're like me, you want to get the best bang for your workout buck, and that probably means choosing the best energy drink for working out so you can show up energized and ready to pump some iron (or run, if that's your thing).
In this post, we're taking a look at the best workout energy drink on the market so you can get sh*t done in the gym without the crash!
Let's dive in:
Should You Drink Your Energy Drink Before or During Your Workout?
Though you may feel an initial rush of energy shortly after having an energy drink, your body doesn't actually feel the full effects of the energy drink until 30-45 minutes after consumption.
That means you need to have your energy drink before you get to the gym - in the car on the way, or if you're close to the gym, with your pre-workout meal. Otherwise, you won't feel the entire effect of the energy drink during the workout, which (kinda) defeats the purpose.
However, you don't want to drink the energy drink way too soon, otherwise your body will metabolize the energy drink before you have a chance to pump any iron or go for a run (if you're looking for an energy drink for running, check out our post here.)
I like to have my energy drink 30 minutes beforehand, because I know I'll peak 45 minutes into the workout. Then I can start with a heavy compound lift like the bench press, deadlift or squats, and maximize my time with peak energy.
By the time the effects start to wear off, I've moved on to the less intense parts of my workout. But you need to consider your own training regiment and plan accordingly, depending on when you need the most energy.
On the flip side, drinking your energy drink during the workout will delay the effects until the middle or end of your workout, by which time you're already tired and your muscles are exhausted.
Feel Accomplished EVERY Morning With The EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
Is It Safe to Drink an Energy Drink While Working Out?
Barring those with heart problems and other serious health issues, it's safe to drink an energy drink before or during your workout. In fact, some studies show energy drinks can have a positive impact on your performance during your workout.
But that doesn't mean it's always the best idea or a healthy idea. However, in moderation and with the right energy drink, it's okay.
Conversely, there are some reasons aside from safety that you wouldn't want to have an energy drink before your workout.
Firstly, it takes a while for the effects to kick in as mentioned above, so you need to time it right.
Secondly and more importantly, some energy drinks can upset your stomach, especially if they're loaded with sugar and caffeine (more on that below). When I have a sugary energy drink link Monster or Red Bull, even after a meal, it typically upsets my stomach which isn't ideal for a workout.
Lastly, having energy drinks on a regular basis can make you dependent on them which isn't a good thing, nor is having a ton of sugar every single day (it can lead to things like diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, etc.)
But from a safety perspective, again, the answer is yes, it's safe to have an energy drink before and during a workout, as long as you stick to the limits below:
How Many Energy Drinks Can You Have Per Day?
One should be enough for most people, but I know some of you want to pound 20 energy shots and go beast mode (but that might put you in hospital mode instead…)
When I first started working out regularly in high school, I definitely went overboard with the energy drinks. I thought I could have a few cans of Red Bull a day and workout for 3 hours straight or go to the gym twice a day.
Needless to say, I overworked my body and had to take a week off to recover.
That doesn't mean you necessarily have to stop at just one energy drink, or one serving, per day. But where's the limit?
Aside from sugar intake, which you should be limiting anyway, caffeine is the main thing to keep an eye on when you're having a bunch of energy drinks at the gym.
A healthy adult can have 400mg of caffeine a day maximum, give or take a bit depending on your age, gender, size, and caffeine tolerance.
Putting that into perspective, one standard serving of regular coffee has around 95mg of caffeine, which means you can have roughly 4 cups of coffee a day without needing to worry.
Some energy drinks have less caffeine than that, but most have more, so you need to check the label to know how much caffeine you can have. For example, cans of Monster Redline, aside from a gross amount of sugar, are also loaded with caffeine (316mg to be exact, according to Caffeine Informer.) That's more than 3 cups of coffee at once!
From that perspective, you shouldn't have more than one energy drink a day (and you should steer clear of Monster in general, it's just glorified soda with even more sugar and caffeine.)
But an energy drink like EarlyBird that gives you some energy with caffeine but also other natural ingredients is safe to have more than just one serving, should you choose. Read the label and do the math yourself, knowing your limits and what's okay for your body (400mg as a baseline).
Discover the "Cheat Code" to Waking Up Early
The EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
Things to Consider Before Buying a Workout Energy Drink
Alright, you're about to buy the best workout energy drink on the market but you're still not quite sure which one is right for you.
Here are some things to consider before buying an energy drink for working out:
Sugar
Sugar is the enemy of gains, so if you haven't caught the memo by now, you should do your best to cut it out of your diet.
Unfortunately, most energy drinks didn't get the memo. They're marketed as sports supplements when really they're glorified cans of soda advertised to give you a performance boost, yet instead, they slow you down.
Energy drinks packed with sugar will taste great, but you'll surely have a sugar crash shortly after consuming the energy drink, leaving you with less energy during your workout than if you'd had no energy drink in the first place.
On top of that, sugary energy drinks are full of calories (more on that in a bit) and can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and according to Healthline, a bunch of other long-term consequences like diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.
You'd need to have a ton of sugar over a lifetime for that to become an issue, but you still want to avoid it as much as possible in the long run.
If you're looking for the best workout energy drink, choose one like EarlyBird that's sugar-free so you don't have to worry about low energy levels, sugar crashes, or the long-term side effects of regular sugar consumption.
After all, your diet is more important than working out in the first place. A lot of beginners in the gym think they can pump iron and then have a Big Mac or a bottle of Coke every day and get their desired result.
WRONG!
You wouldn't put crappy fuel in a Lamborghini so why would you treat your body any differently? You can't expect your car to function properly for a long time if you don't treat it right, and you can't expect the same of your body either.
Since you're already making an effort to get in the gym, do yourself a favor and cut out the sugar so your effort isn't wasted.
Calories
As mentioned in the section above, calories are your biggest enemy when it comes to working out if you're trying to lose weight. At the end of the day, you'll lose weight if the number of calories your body burns daily is greater than what you eat.
Working out helps to burn more calories, but if you have a 400 calory energy drink that's packed with sugar, you'd need to walk (or run) four miles.
But more important than calories is the quality of those calories. You may burn 2000 calories a day and eat a cheeseburger with fries every day which brings you to 1,600 calories. You'll lose weight, but you're still not eating healthy.
You're not giving your body the nutrition it needs to function properly, which is important every day of the week, but especially when you want your body to perform during a workout.
Sugary drinks like Monster and Red Bull have a ton of calories, but worse than that, they're empty calories.
Be careful with your energy drink of choice, and opt for one with as few calories as possible, or choose one like EarlyBird that has zero calories. Otherwise, you may be defeating the purpose of your workout.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a big one - but unlike sugar, caffeine can actually help with your workouts according to several studies.
Just pay attention to how much caffeine your energy drink of choice has in each serving. Otherwise, you may go overboard.
Although it's hard to overdose on caffeine, you still don't want to come down with a case of the jitters during a workout as it may make you uncomfortable and can impact your performance. I've had the jitters during a workout before and it wasn't fun.
In fact, the first time I had pre-workout I went home feeling a bit sick, and overnight it got worse. But because the pre-workout was loaded with caffeine, I couldn't get to selep. I was sick, trying to sleep, but instead laid in bed shaking and feeling miserable.
That's an extreme example… but the point is, don't go overboard (remember, 400mg a day is more than enough and you don't want to go past that limit.)
Other Ingredients
Most energy drinks have some other ingredients to help you feel more energized like B vitamins, taurine, etc.
But no other energy drinks use EarlyBird's nootropic blend of ingredients from fruits, vegetables, tea leaves, and more to give your brain and body exactly what they need to function at peak performance.
For example, hydration plays a key part in your workout performance, and while many energy drinks loaded with sugar actually dehydrate you, EarlyBird mixes with water and uses electrolytes to supercharge hydration, so you can crush your workout and feel amazing.
Don't expect other energy drinks to make use of the same nootropic blends (they're almost all just sugar and caffeine with some carbonation) but some energy drinks do make use of other ingredients to further enhance performance which is something to stay mindful of when making your choice.
Price
Should you decide to have an energy drink regularly before or during your workout routine, price is definitely a factor you need to consider.
For example, a standard 16 Oz. can of Monster costs $1.98 at Walmart, and although you shouldn't have Monster for a plethora of other reasons (mainly to do with your health) cost is also a factor here.
If you workout 5 days per week and want an energy drink before each workout, that's 5 per week or 20 per month, and with each can being $2 (let's round-up here for easy math) that's $40 per month on energy drinks.
EarlyBird, on the other hand, is cheaper because it's a powder that mixes with water. One tub of EarlyBird has 45 servings and comes with your own shaker cup to take with you to the gym, all of which only costs $68 with free shipping.
That means you're paying $1.49 per serving as opposed to $2 for Monster, which is 25% less each month.
On top of that, subscription renewals are even cheaper because you don't have to pay for another shaker cup.
Keep price in mind when looking for an energy drink, and remember that powder energy drinks like EarlyBird are cheaper than canned energy drinks.
Feel Accomplished EVERY Morning With The EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
Best Energy Drink For Working Out
Now it's time to talk about the best energy drink for working out, hands down: EarlyBird.
When you join Club EarlyBird, you're embarking on a journey with more than 10,000 other go-getters worldwide who want to wake up early and get sh*t done without the crash.
Whether you want to work out first thing in the morning or you need a bit of extra energy later in the day to function at peak performance, EarlyBird is the drink for you.
Here's why:
EarlyBird makes use of a unique combination of three Nootropic blends that help you supercharge hydration, enhance your mood, and give your brain/body fast-acting, long-lasting energy, all three of which are imperative for you to crush your workout.
You see, after years of researching how to finally wake up without feeling tired (so us go-getters can accomplish more) we realized there were three problems with energy drinks that made it impossible to actually have energy all day, especially during a workout, and especially in the morning.
We designed EarlyBird to fix those three problems with our Nootropic blend.
Let's break that down:
Hydration
First of all, your body needs to be hydrated if you want to have the best workout possible. After all, water is quite important for, you know, life on earth.
But most energy drinks actually dehydrate you instead of the other way around. That's why EarlyBird mixes with water and uses electrolytes. They act in tandem to give your body the hydration it needs to operate at peak performance all day long.
Fast-acting, long-lasting energy
Second, if you're working out and you want an energy drink to boost performance, you need the energy to act fast and long last. Otherwise, you'll be waiting around forever for the energy to kick in, and it'll only help for five to ten minutes before it starts to wear off. Either way, you're screwed.
EarlyBird makes use of a fruit/vegetable blend, caffeine from green coffee beans, as well as L-theanine from tea leaves to help give your brain and body the energy/nutrients it needs to get a quick burst of energy without the crash, so you can feel great during your entire workout and after.
Mood enhancement
The feeling I get after a great workout is one of the reasons I enjoy lifting weights and running so much in the first place. But starting your workout with a good mindset is another great way to end on a good note, break personal records, and have a productive day.
It's been shown that your morning mood impacts the rest of your day, which is why making sure you start your day properly is crucial for success. Ever heard the saying "they woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" It's true.
From that perspective, EarlyBird uses theobromine from dark chocolate to give you that warm, fuzzy feeling without needing any added sugar.
In fact, EarlyBird has zero sugar, zero carbs, zero calories, and it's vegan, so anyone can drink it without worrying about the issues mentioned above with too much sugar or expensive servings.
These are just three reasons why EarlyBird is the best energy drink for working out in 2021 and beyond - you can read our story to learn more about why you need EarlyBird before your next workout.
Discover the "Cheat Code" to Waking Up Early
The EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
Wake Up Early, GET SH*T DONE