Reporter Han Bing reported that on April 23, Beijing time, an interesting thing happened in the NBA, the Eagle core Trey Young brought a bottle of a certain brand of sports drinks into the press conference site after the game. Since the brand was not an official sponsor, Trey Young was asked to take the drink away. But Trey Young refused to do so, and responded domineeringly: "I am willing to accept the fine." ”
For professional or amateur athletes, energy drinks are a very familiar, even essential, supplement to daily training and competitions. A professional football player runs an average distance of 10.2 km to 14 km per game, and the annual season lasts for 9 months, most of which is also twice a week, and the physical consumption can be imagined. In addition to regular training, sports rehabilitation and the universally recognized "professional recipe", energy drinks are a must-have for players to replenish their energy. It can provide players with the most instant energy replenishment so that players can play better.
But are these energy drinks really healthy? What is the role of energy drinks in football? When should the average person consume energy drinks? The composition and dosage of energy drinks are very important for the competitive state and physical health of players. Talking only about "energy" and not about "dose" is likely to cause damage to everyone's body.
Figure out the ingredients first
To understand the effects of energy drinks on players, it is necessary to first know what ingredients they all have. Although many of the ingredients in the various energy drinks popular on the market are not fully studied and cannot be consumed regularly, some other identified ingredients can indeed have a beneficial effect on improving the performance of the body. The basic ingredients of energy drinks are caffeine, sugar (carbohydrates), electrolytes and water, and sugars are the core ingredients. Carbohydrates are divided into simple (sugar) and complex, and the problem with complex carbohydrates is that they take more time to be digested, thus becoming a source of energy for players. These ingredients are generally more suitable for fat loss people, but they are not suitable for players who need to get energy as soon as possible before the game.
Simple carbohydrates, which are mainly sugars, are easier to digest and quickly become part of the muscles and can be used in intense exercise. These sugars are converted into fat, but when players exercise that can burn these sugars, they should be ingested in time to replenish the lost energy. Because the players also have to do a certain amount of warm-up exercise before the game, followed by 90 minutes of high-consumption exercise, it is very necessary to consume sugar.
Caffeine is the most common ingredient in energy drinks in pan-sports, including soccer. But for caffeine, players need to be extra cautious. Everyday drinks, such as tea or coffee, contain caffeine, which is a stimulant of the nervous system and has antioxidant properties that help prevent cancer. Existing research is enough to show that players' intake of caffeine-containing energy drinks is indeed beneficial: these energy drinks help improve jumping ability, running distance, and other indicators of athletic performance. For defenders trying to win headers or trying to jump higher to break the goal, jump height is a decisive indicator. Of course, the dose and frequency of caffeine intake is crucial. Studies have shown that taking 3 mg/kg of caffeine as a criterion for player weight can improve athletic performance enough, but not the more the merrier.
Excessive sweating by players in soccer matches can lead to the loss of vital salts and electrolytes, which players must supplement with energy drinks containing electrolytes. The main electrolyte is sodium, a salt usually found in food. Loss of electrolytes may lead to a decrease in player endurance and a significant increase in the probability of leg cramps. As with caffeine, studies have shown that moderate intake of energy drinks containing electrolytes can improve player performance during matches. Although energy drinks containing electrolytes have become the "standard" in modern football, most people are not very clear about how to grasp the dosage and frequency of these energy drinks.
Side effects to be aware of
Harmful ingredients in energy drinks are often reported in the media, and some of them still have some truth. Commonly used energy drinks, some ingredients may have adverse effects on the player's body. All in all, it is still related to the dose and frequency of intake. First, excessive intake of caffeine can lead to an increased heart rate or even arrhythmias, or a disturbance of the heartbeat rhythm. Caffeine is also strongly associated with insomnia, which is a big no-no for players who rely on adequate sleep to repair muscle fiber fatigue and damage. Some people experience stomach upset after excessive caffeine intake, as well as being very tired the next day, which is also a common side effect. Therefore, whether it is the general sports crowd or professional players, do not overeat any energy drinks containing caffeine.
Taurine, another common ingredient in energy drinks, is an amino acid that has neurodevelopmental benefits that regulate water and mineral levels in the body. However, excessive intake of taurine can lead to a serious drop in blood pressure, which is only a disadvantage confirmed by relevant research in the field of exercise science. More research on taurine side effects has yet to be discovered. For now, at least, there's no doubt that taurine is an energy drink ingredient that's more cautiously ingested than caffeine.
Ginseng and guarana water are two other common ingredients in energy drinks, they have only gradually entered the field of energy drinks in recent years, there are still many unknowns about these two ingredients, and further research discoveries in the field of biological sciences are needed. But at least for now, it has been determined that if too much intake they can cause high blood pressure, palpitations and too fast heart rate, which will be very dangerous for the players.
Sugars, like caffeine, are just as harmful when ingested improperly. The difference is that the timing of large intake of sugars is important. The simple sugars consumed without any exercise are the main reason for weight gain, and the body converts excess sugar into fat stored in the body. This is a difficult obstacle for players with insufficient sense of self-discipline to overcome. Improper weight control can directly affect the degree of joint, muscle and tendon damage to a player, thereby increasing the probability of injury. In addition, many energy drinks use high fructose, corn syrup as cheap alternatives to sugars known to be harmful to human health. But this sugar can cause liver damage due to fat accumulation in liver cells, and long-term overdose can also lead to diabetes.
Professional players usually only drink energy drinks before the game because of the need for caffeine stimulation and simple sugar energy, but do not consume energy drinks on regular training days. Regular consumption of energy drinks can lead to caffeine addiction, as well as the various symptoms that come with withdrawal afterwards. Amateurs are also not advised to drink energy drinks in excess, as their athletic intensity cannot be matched by that of professional players, which leads to more of their monosaccharide intake converted into belly fat.