Elite athletes continually strive for enhanced performance, trying a variety of strategies to reach that goal. Yet consuming too much caffeine often has negative effects on overall wellness. Its ability to enhance performance, under certain conditions, has been well documented. They should also track the current trends among student-athletes concerning energy drinks.Ĭaffeine is the main “energy” ingredient in energy drinks. Therefore, their use by student-athletes requires analysis, results of which administrators and coaches need to be aware of so that they can share this knowledge with student-athletes in need of direction. The effects of these beverages can be quite significant. As a result, university and college athletes are frequent consumers of the products. The primary targets of the industry’s marketing campaigns are young adults. The worldwide market for so-called energy drink has grown exponentially in the last decade. Specific implications for college athletic departments are discussed.Įnergy Drinks’ Effects on Student-Athletes and Implications for Athletic Departments In addition, recent research about energy drinks and athletic performance is reviewed. In this article, the ingredients of energy drinks are discussed and the dangers of combining those ingredients with alcohol are explored. Studies have shown college athletes to engage regularly in binge drinking they are also, clearly, individuals eager to maximize performance. Campaigns promote consumption of energy drinks to enhance performance and suggest their addition to cocktails. The primary targets of the industry’s marketing campaigns are young adults, and college athletes are frequent consumers of the products. Worldwide, the market for so-called energy drinks has grown exponentially in the last decade. Submitted by: Russ Paddock – United States Sports Academy