Kelsey HigginsonSports Nutrition Coach and Founder at Clutch Day Coaching

Are energy drinks okay for athletes?

29 Jan 2026 · 1 min

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In this concise advisory, the speaker argues that energy drinks are generally unsuitable for athletes because they often mask inadequate sleep or nutrition and contain excessive sugars and additives. However, the speaker acknowledges that caffeine, when isolated and properly dosed, can be a valuable ergogenic aid for endurance athletes. The recommended protocol is 3–6 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight taken about one hour before competition, with a strong emphasis on testing the dose in training first to avoid jitteriness or adverse effects. Overall, the message prioritizes proper nutrition and rest over reliance on commercial energy drinks, positioning caffeine as a conditional supplement for well‑prepared athletes.

Chapters

Are energy drinks okay for athletes? And if so, when should you be using them? 90% of the time I'm going to say no because they are used as a Band-Aid for a lack of sleep or a lack of food for athletes. And also, most energy drinks are loaded with lots of other chemicals and sugar and substances that I do not want my athletes touching. However, if you have your food and your sleep dialed, caffeine can be an awesome supplement, especially for endurance sports, when used in the dosage of 3 milligrams to 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. So you take your body in kilograms, times it by 3, and that will you the minimum amount of caffeine that you need to ingest 1 hour before your game or your race to be able to see the actual benefits that caffeine gives. I would recommend that you test this at practice before you ever do it during a competition or a game to make sure it sits well with you. Sometimes it can make people jittery and actually not help, but if you're an endurance athlete, this could be awesome for you.