REDLINE

[lordtariel]

I've never tried that one, but the only reason I drink gatorade or powerade is because it's a lower-sugar alternative to pop and most of the flavored juices. I usually buy it in the powdered form because it's much cheaper and you can make it to the flavor you like.(I usually water mine down quite a bit) No good can come of drinking a carbonated beverage and then going to exercise.

[elbows_and_knees]

I have a high tolerance for energy drinks - they have no real effect on me. My friends tried redline and talked about how it helped them and how they were all jittery from only taking half a bottle. The first time I bought it, I drank the whole bottle and took a nap an hour later...

[elbows_and_knees]

I've never tried that one, but the only reason I drink gatorade or powerade is because it's a lower-sugar alternative to pop and most of the flavored juices. I usually buy it in the powdered form because it's much cheaper and you can make it to the flavor you like.(I usually water mine down quite a bit) No good can come of drinking a carbonated beverage and then going to exercise.

redline's not carbonated.

[AceKing]

I dont think redline is really a sports drink. Redline is a fat burning supplement but can be takin in a ready to drink form.

[elbows_and_knees]

it's marketed as both. Notice the side of the bottle - "The ultimate energy rush". In smaller text, it says "fat incinerator" the drink is marketed more toward energy. the pills are the fat burners.

[Rick_72]

As a runner I subscribe to a simple cup of coffee and a light breakfast before training in the morning. The caffeine gives you a slight boost in heart rate and energy to get started, but not long lasting effects. From what I've read some of these so called "energy" drinks have too much caffeine in them and can have negative effects on your health during strenuous exercise. Personally every time I've consumed one of those drinks, it feels like my heart is going to blast right out of my chest, and I would never even consider doing any significant cardio after drinking one.

I personally prefer plain water for hydration, although many runners I know don't like that there's no taste (some say bad taste) in water. Sports drinks tend to help replace electrolytes and help fight dehydration, during and after significant exercise, most don't advertise any real energy gain though. Just plain old water works for me because I flush hydrate before I exercise (be careful doing that unless you know and understand your personal salt intake, as too much water and not enough salt can be very dangerous), so I'm not too dehydrated by not drinking as I run as long as I keep it below 10 miles.

Best thing to do I think is to go find one of those blood pressure machines in a super market, sit down at it for a couple minutes, then take your resting blood pressure. Jot it down, and go buy the energy drink in question and drink it. Give a few minutes, than sit down for the same amount of time you did before and take your resting heart rate again. Bounce the numbers off your family doctor and see if he thinks the increase is safe for you.

On a different note with the energy/fat burn, caffeine supposedly by increasing your heart rate, boosts your metabolism which is why you can loose weight with. I don't know if I believe that or not, because the studies on it are about 50% for and 50% against that result.

[elbows_and_knees]

yes and no - fat burners tend to work one of two ways

1. they break down fats directly - they metabolize and dissolve fat.

2. they increase body heat - speed up the metabolism.

[wolfen]

I can see the possible benefit, but when you read the warnings and then think about starters for a football team downing a bottle during the halftime....

just doesn't seem healthy.

Thank you for all the input

[Sohan]

Seems that "energy" drinks are beginning to get the attention of the medical community:

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-gen/ap/Health_Medical/Energy_Drinks.html

With respect,

Sohan

[bushido_man96]

Wow, interesting. Glad I don't drink them.