Barbell Shrugged The Truth About Energy Drinks w/ Flavia Pereira, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #811
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Aug 20, 2025 Flavia Pereira, a nutrition coach and faculty member in Exercise & Sport Science, dives into the world of energy drinks with her fellow hosts. They dissect the differences between energy drinks and traditional coffee, revealing shocking ingredients and the truth behind marketing claims. Flavia shares insights on the potential risks for vulnerable groups and debates their efficacy for performance versus proper nutrition. Expect laughter as they nostalgically link sports achievements to energy drinks while navigating misconceptions in the fitness industry!
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Energy Drinks ≈ Caffeine When Matched
- Energy drinks offer no extra ergogenic benefit over matched caffeine alone in tested measures like reaction time and muscular endurance.
- Flavia's trials showed matched-caffeine pills performed similarly to energy drinks on those outcomes.
Proprietary Blends Can Mask True Stimulant Dose
- Proprietary blends hide ingredient amounts, so guarana or other stimulants can double perceived caffeine without label clarity.
- That opaque labeling explains why some drinks feel more like stimulants than coffee.
Dose And Timing For Caffeine Performance
- Use 3–6 mg/kg of caffeine 30–60 minutes before exercise for ergogenic effects, adjusting for habitual intake.
- Keep total daily caffeine under ~400 mg and consider individual tolerance and timing to avoid sleep disruption.