Skip to Content

Do Energy Drinks Make You Smarter? (Honest Answer)

Drinking energy drinks can boost your cognitive functions and make you smarter, but this does not mean that you’ll become Albert Einstein if you do so.

Various ingredients in these drinks enhance the function of your brain, but only to a limited extent. If you drink an energy drink before a university examination, it doesn’t mean that answers to your problems will be revealed to you and you are guaranteed to ace that test.

Drinking these drinks in moderation while studying is essential. Stay hydrated and stay focused.  

Energy Drinks: Why Do People Drink them?

Drinking energy drinks is popular due to their perceived benefits. Energy drinks are believed to improve physical and mental performance, as well as replenish energy. 

Those who enjoy the taste may also enjoy the smell.

To stay competitive in today’s fast-paced society in which work and studies are prioritized over health, energy drinks are a go-to source of energy.

The key to not becoming tired while buzzing around like a busy bee is to keep your energy up. Other people use energy drinks to alleviate their fatigue and to feel energized for the rest of the day.

Is Energy Drink Consumption Helpful for Focusing?

Studies have shown that energy drinks, like Red Bull, improve cognitive function, therefore improving focus and concentration. So, if you consume a reasonable number of energy drinks, you will be able to concentrate.

It is important to stay focused on one subject or one thing when doing any important task, in order not to overwhelm yourself.

There are a variety of energy drinks that are filled with caffeine and taurine, both of which help keep your brain focused on what you need to accomplish.

Having said that, a reasonable amount of energy drinks shouldn’t cause you to become anxious or jittery, which can hamper your ability to focus, so it’s best to drink one or two every day.

I have written an article about energy drinks that I think won’t give you the jitters, so check it out if you want to know which ones won’t. Read it now!  

Studying and Energy Drinks: Does it Work?

You can improve your focus and concentration by drinking energy drinks while studying.

Concentration and attention are enhanced by energy drinks.

Energy Drinks help you get smarter
Energy Drinks Help You Study Smarter

If you take the right amount of caffeine, it stimulates your nervous system, thereby giving you more energy and mental clarity.

The FDA does not allow more than 400mg of caffeine per day. Exceeding that amount can pose a health risk.

Research has shown that caffeine enhances student performance in areas such as memory, focus, and reaction time while reducing mental exhaustion.

While energy drinks can help you power through all-night study sessions, you shouldn’t depend entirely on them to enhance your brainpower.

Concentration can also be greatly enhanced by:

  • Getting a decent amount of sleep
  • Taking breaks
  • Eating a balanced and healthy diet
  • Trying meditation
  • Eliminating distractions
  • Using time blocks

Important Ingredients in Energy Drinks

The ingredients in energy drinks and how they contribute to boosting energy have been covered in our discussion of energy drinks and where they are used.

Caffeine

Energy drinks are mostly caffeine-based. What’s the reason? In addition to its ability to stimulate your nervous system, it has the ability to block your adenosine receptors, which reduce your drowsiness and make you feel more alert.

Caffeine is mostly found in coffee, green tea, beans and seeds, and even chocolate.

This substance acts as a stimulant that influences adenosine (a molecule produced by the human body that has various functions throughout the body).

Due to its affinity for adenosine receptors, caffeine actually enhances neural firing.

When pituitary gland activity increases, the brain’s pituitary glands release hormones that cause adrenaline or epinephrine to be released.

Besides the heart beating faster and the feeling of excitement caused by adrenaline, caffeine also has other common effects. However, caffeine can also be beneficial when it is needed from time to time. 

But overconsuming caffeine isn’t as beneficial as it may seem.

According to the FDA, 400mg of caffeine is the daily limit. It’s also possible to have adverse effects if you go over the limit – especially if you are not accustomed to caffeine.

These include:

  • Anxiety
  • Jitters
  • Inability to focus
  • Gastrointestinal discomfort
  • Insomnia
  • Irritability 
  • Heart palpitations

Because of this, you should try to limit the amount of caffeine in your diet and avoid consuming too many caffeinated beverages at once.

Caffeine’s Role in Achieving Goals

Sugar

Energy drinks are also often sweetened with sugar. Many energy drinks nowadays contain artificial sweeteners rather than sugar, which is safer and does not provide calories.

According to the AHA, men should consume 9 teaspoons or 36 grams a day and women should consume 6 teaspoons or 25 grams.

Overdoing it can have adverse health consequences, such as:

  • High Blood Sugar
  • Acne
  • Irritability
  • Increased Blood Pressure
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Heart Problems
  • Weight gain/obesity

Taurine

Among taurine’s many potential benefits is its anti-inflammatory properties.

The inclusion of taurine in energy drinks is increasing due to its cognitive function benefits.

Foods like meat, fish, and eggs contain taurine, which is abundant in the brain, heart, and platelets. Taurine, which appears in energy drinks, is synthetic, despite the many rumors about where the substance comes from.

Taurine offers a range of potential benefits, including:

  • Promoting metabolism
  • Protecting the eyes
  • Protecting the heart
  • Improved exercise performance

Drinks to Boost Your Energy While Studying

Let’s proceed to some of the best energy drinks suitable for studying, now that you’ve seen an overview of the common ingredients that make up energy drinks.

Smart Work
Smart Work

Before we do that, it’s important to remember the recommended daily intake to ensure consumption is safe while still giving you the focus and boost you are looking for.

Below is a table of their daily limits:

Daily Limit Intake
Sugar 24g for women/36g for men
Caffeine 400mg
Calories2000 kcal for women/2500 kcal for men
Daily Limits Of Ingredients

Then let’s get onto the best energy drinks for studying.

Red Bull

Red Bull (8.4 fl. oz.)
Sugar27mg
Caffeine80mg
Calories110 calories
Nutrition Facts

Despite being one of the most well-known brands in the business, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink on the market.

For a short period of time, these drinks increase concentration, making them perfect for studying. Furthermore, their mental and performance abilities can match the demands of the current task.

Monster Energy

Monster Energy Drink
Monster Energy Drink
 Monster Energy (16 fl. oz)
Sugar54g
Caffeine160mg
Calories210 calories
Nutrition Facts

Having 160mg of caffeine keeps you going through any physically demanding activity, whether your goal is to work out, play sports, or study.

Coca-Cola Energy Drink

 Coca-Cola Energy (12 fl. oz)
Sugar39g
Caffeine114mg
Calories140 calories
Nutrition Facts

Coca-Cola flavor is only found in this energy drink! With caffeine sourced from natural sources, guarana extracts, and B vitamins, Coca-Cola Energy is a low-caffeine energy drink that complements your active and busy lifestyle.

While you trudge through your textbooks, this energy drink should boost your morale since Coca-Cola is a fan favorite!

Sneak Energy

Sneak Energy (10 fl. oz.)
Sugar 0.5g
Caffeine150mg
Calories12 calories
Nutrition Facts

In addition to being one of the healthiest energy drinks, Sneak is one of the most popular and trusted energy drinks among esports players.

There are many energy drinks on the market, but Sneak is one of the most popular. Its caffeine content makes it one of the strongest energy drinks on the market, giving you more energy per serving.

There is no added sugar to this powdered energy drink, and it contains very few calories. Thus, students can have one glass of Sneak energy and feel refreshed without draining energy quickly.

With more than 40 flavors to choose from, Sneak energy drink is very user-friendly as you can choose the one that suits your taste.

The powder in Sneak energy drink does have a high caffeine content, which means users are advised to be cautious when consuming it in large amounts since it may cause unwanted side effects.

Their official website makes it easy to purchase. Interested in finding out more about Sneak energy drink? Check this out.

Energy Drink Alternatives

I chose these drinks based on caffeine and calorie content, so they’re a few of my top picks. Due to my low caffeine tolerance, I cannot drink large quantities of the beverage.

Energy Boosting Drinks
Energy Boosting Drinks

Because of this, I prefer energy drinks that are less caffeinated. Aside from feeling jittery and having palpitations, I experience adverse side effects.

It is important to note that each of us reacts differently to caffeine, so do your research on which energy drinks are right for you based on your diet or lifestyle.

You can munch on vitamins and mineral-rich foods that can greatly enhance your concentration and mental performance while you study in addition to energy drinks. Check them out:

  • Fatty Fish
  • Blueberries
  • Broccoli
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Chocolate
  • Nuts
  • Oranges
  • Eggs

Brain-Boosting Drinks that Help Your Brain

You can boost and maintain your energy throughout the day with these energy drinks.

Along with caffeine, sugar, vitamins, and minerals, energy drinks are often enriched with nootropic substances, such as antioxidants. Cognitive skills are improved by these ingredients.

In addition to brain-boosting energy drinks, the following beverages are definitely healthy and beneficial, so be sure to try them out.

Alternatives

Last Thoughts

It takes a lot of energy to do smart work, which is why it is vital to have an energy-boosting supplement by your side while studying the night before an exam or doing any other important work.

Energy drinks can help you perform smartly, but if used carelessly, they can have negative effects on your health, which may lead to poor performance. Energy drinks can be a great companion when studying or working out, but they are also your worst enemy if used recklessly.

Energy drinks contain stimulants, so be aware of their contents, observe the recommended maximums, and drink them slowly. I agree that it’s important to be awake for the job, but it would be bad to crash right in the middle of the job.

This article is intended to be helpful to you! Good luck with your smart work!

Related Articles

Skip to content