The Best Energy Drink for Runners Who Care About Their Bodies
If you’re an active person who wakes up looking forward to your morning coffee, you might also be someone who wonders about the best energy drink for runners.
Don’t get me wrong; I love a delicious, hot cup of coffee in the morning. But if I’m about to head out for a long run, hot coffee will likely stop me in my tracks and have me running to the nearest restroom (at least I’d still be running, right? 💩).
Rather than imbibing a cup of joe in the regular morning routine pre-run, I found what works best for me and my body. You may also enjoy this energy drink for running. So, let’s get to it!
The Best Sports Drink for Running
First, you’ll still benefit from this article if you’re not interested in an energy drink because you’ve got enough natural energy.
The company I want to highlight is Nuun.
Nuun is great for many reasons, and if you’re sticking to their non-energy-inducing drinks, you’re in for a treat.
The Benefits of Nuun Sports Drink
✅ Optimized Electrolytes
Electrolytes are essential for athletes, especially distance runners. Nuun will support fluid balance needs and assist with muscle function.
✅ Clean Ingredients
Nuun is non-GMO and vegan. Nuun also never contains aspartame.
✅ Just 1 Gram of Sugar
If you’re concerned about the sugar in regular sports drinks (there tends to be a lot!), you’ll appreciate that one serving of Nuun Sport has only 1 gram of sugar.
🫧 Nuun is tasty, and it’s also a bubbly, effervescent drink.
The first time I had Nuun was during a race (a terrible time to try something new, but fortunately, it worked out for me). I ran past a hydration stop and thought they were handing out soda, which should tell you how delicious Nuun is.
What is an Energy Drink?
The CDC defines energy drinks as beverages containing a high amount of caffeine, sugar, additives, and legal stimulants like guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine.
Some people rely on energy drinks to boost their energy and improve their alertness. However, these beverages aren’t the best to use regularly, as they raise your blood pressure and heart rate and affect your breathing.
If you depend on energy drinks, you may want to reconsider your options, as the effects on the nervous system can be detrimental and lasting.
Fortunately, Nuun has an energy drink that won’t wreak havoc on your nervous system.
Are Energy Drinks Bad for Runners?
Certain energy drinks aren’t bad for just runners but for everyone.
The stimulants in them can cause a slew of issues, including heart complications, anxiety, and dehydration. If you’re an athlete, drinking something that leads to dehydration is never good, especially before running.
Energy drinks to avoid include brands like Red Bull, Monster Energy, Rockstar, and Bang. Some use too much sugar and caffeine to be considered safe or remotely healthy options.
What to Look for in an Energy Drink
When searching for the best energy drink for yourself, look for three essential aspects.
1️⃣ Sugar content.
The American Heart Association’s sugar intake guidelines say that men shouldn’t have more than 36 grams of added sugar daily, while women shouldn’t have more than 25 grams daily.
One 12-ounce can of Red Bull has 37 grams of sugar. YIKES!
2️⃣ Caffeine content.
There is very much such a thing as too much caffeine. You don’t want to spiral into anxiety and panic attacks because you relied on too much caffeine.
Caffeine is not bad in moderation. Most healthy adults can drink up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. Each energy drink varies in caffeine content, so please keep this number and the daily intake guideline in mind.
3️⃣ Natural Ingredients.
Various energy drinks use synthetic caffeine to keep production costs down.
If an energy drink contains lab-made caffeine, you can bet on it being bad for your health in many ways. Although the body appears to respond similarly to natural and synthetic caffeine, those drinks that use synthetic caffeine also tend to include other harmful compounds.
Do Energy Drinks Help with Running?
Clean energy drinks can help boost your running ability.
Although they may not make you earn a massive PR at your next race, they help you feel more alert and focused while running. They can also help you wake up quickly for those early morning runs.
For those athletes who run long-distance races, an energy drink like Nuun Energy will help you boost your energy naturally and avoid the crash that comes with energy drinks high in sugar.
What Energy Drink is Best for Athletes?
The best energy drink for athletes and runners is Nuun Energy.
Benefits of Nuun Energy include:
✔️ 80 Milligrams of Caffeine
Remember, 400 milligrams of caffeine daily is safe for most healthy adults.
One serving of Nuun Energy contains less than a quarter of the recommended daily caffeine intake, making it a safe bet for runners looking to increase their pre-run energy. It also has slightly less caffeine than a cup of coffee.
✔️ 20 Milligrams of Panax Ginseng
This ancient herbal supplement provides health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties – ideal for runners who regularly put their bodies through the wringer.
✔️ B Vitamin Blend
B vitamins are essential for our bodies, helping with brain function, cell health, and energy levels. Most people get the amount they need by maintaining a balanced diet.
Supplements may be necessary for those who don’t get enough B vitamins. Nuun Energy contains a B vitamin blend that may help with an athlete’s metabolic energy.
What to Drink Before Running for an Energy Boost
If you want to drink something before running to increase your energy, Nuun Energy may be your new favorite drink.
Nuun Energy comes in 4 delicious flavors:
Alternative To Nuun Energy
If Nuun Energy isn’t quite your style, you might find that Nuun has another drink that is more your speed.
Lower Caffeine Option
Is there too much caffeine in Nuun Energy for you? Nuun Sport + Caffeine cuts the caffeine content in half to just 40 milligrams per serving.
If you test out Nuun Energy and find that it causes some distress to your intestinal tract (like coffee does to mine), Nuun Sport + Caffeine may have a better caffeine content to give you energy without running to the bathroom.
Nuun Sport + Caffeine has four delicious flavors: Cherry Limeade, Fresh Lime, Mango Orange, and Wild Berry.
Other Excellent Nuun Options
There’s a Nuun for every activity these days.
💧 If you’re looking to boost your everyday wellness, Nuun Vitamins provides fewer electrolytes than Nuun Sport, along with Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E and Folic Acid and B6. There’s also an option for Nuun Vitamins with 40 milligrams of caffeine.
💧 Trying to relax following a challenging workout or day at the office? Nuun Rest provides magnesium to promote relaxation. It also has tart cherry extract to help muscle recovery, potassium for fluid balance, and electrolytes to keep you well-hydrated.
💧 If you need support for your immune system, try Nuun Immunity. This drink has 200 milligrams of vitamin C and vitamins A, D, E, zinc, and selenium. You’ll also find herbal ingredients like turmeric, ginger, echinacea, and elderberry extract.
💧 Not sure what to drink before you run? Nuun Prime + Caffeine is a great beverage containing vegan BCAAs to help energize your muscles. It also contains probiotic fiber to reduce gastrointestinal stress.
💧 If you want something that’s a bit more geared toward hard workouts than the regular Nuun Sport, try Nuun Endurance. It has all the necessary electrolytes plus carbohydrates to promote fluid absorption. Nuun Endurance is recommended for workouts lasting longer than 90 minutes.
💧 If you’re in a hurry to replenish what your body lost during your workout, try Nuun Instant. With electrolytes, carbohydrates, and Vitamins B12 and C, Nuun Instant can rehydrate your body quicker than water alone.
Final Thoughts: The Best Energy Drink for Runners
So, if you’re a runner looking for the best energy drink, look no further than Nuun Energy. The clean ingredients and low sugar content make this an excellent option for athletes looking to increase their energy before a run or workout.
If energy isn’t what you’re searching for, consider one of the other Nuun products to help wherever you need it most. Always ask your doctor about any nutritional items you’d like to try to see if they’re right for you.
