Staying energised and hydrated is essential for those maintaining a busy lifestyle. If you take part in regular workouts or even work for long hours of the day, it can often be difficult to maintain energy levels. Energy drinks can provide a convenient and easy to consume energy boost to power through your next workout.
During this post, we take a look at the best energy drinks powder in the UK to maximize your results. We’ve all been there. After a long day, we are struggling with motivation and are feeling too tired to go to the gym and workout. Missing the occasional gym session is fine, but when it becomes regular as we are too tired, it can begin to impact on results.
To overcome the tiredness, an energy drink pre or during a workout can provide the energy and stimulus required. In fact, we usually find we perform our best workouts and often set new personal bests after consuming an energy drink at the beginning of a workout.
The aim of an energy drink is to make you feel alert and energised, both physically and mentally. To achieve this, some common ingredients are included such as caffeine. This stimulant increases energy levels, provides increased alertness and reduces the perceived rate of exertion.
Some energy drinks, particularly those designed for workouts include further ingredients such as BCAAs and creatine. All of these contribute to increased performance and increased recovery. If you have tried researching the best energy drinks powder, you’ll find lots of options which can often be difficult to compare and long lists of ingredients. This can make it impossible to find the most suitable option for your needs.
Best energy drinks powder UK
With so many options available, it can be difficult to distinguish which is best. Below you can find our favourite choices for the best energy drinks powder in the UK. Our selections below are in no particular choice and designed for a range of different needs. Remember to always speak to a health professional before consuming any new supplement.
Bulk Powders Complete Hydration Drink
When it comes to high-quality and great value sports supplements, we often look no further than Bulk Powders. The brand was launched in 2005 with the aim to put quality at the heart of everything they do. The online store features all their supplements in once place.
This makes it super convenient and easy to pick up several products at the same time. We also find the prices to be very competitive and particularly their protein products are superb value. Complete Hydration is a high-performance energy drink which is ideal for an intense workout. The drink features an advanced carbohydrate blend which contains a mix of maltodextrin, dextrose and fructose.
Ideal to take advantage of carbohydrate absorption and maximise recovery. Instant BCAA has also been added to provide muscles with the essential building blocks and potentially reduce muscle soreness. Further additions include electrolytes and vitamins to contribute to natural energy metabolism. We love that Bulk Powders clearly lists on all of its products the exact amounts of all the ingredients. Several flavours are available including orange and mixed berry.
High5 Energy Drink
The High5 range of energy drinks is some of the most popular and well-received energy-boosting products available. The full range contains many exciting features including 100% natural flavours and scientifically formulated powders. There are several versions of the High5 energy drink available including a non-caffeinated version, but we favour the one with caffeine for maximum results.
The formula contains a carbohydrate, caffeine and electrolyte blend which is great to enhance endurance during exercise. The taste is a refreshing and light tasting citrus flavour. Per serving there is 44g of carbohydrates and 28g of caffeine. For those participating in endurance exercises including cycling and jogging, we find this to be a great formula to be consumed pre-workout. There are also promotions on various stores online which make this great value.
Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy
Optimum Nutrition is extremely popular when it comes to high-quality sports supplements. The brand has been around for over 30 years and produces a full range of supplements to support muscle growth. If you have looked at whey protein before you will probably be familiar with the Optimum Nutrition gold standard whey protein. All Optimum Nutrition products are widely available directly from their website and a range of supplement stores.
Essential Amino Energy is ideal for any time you want a fruit flavoured boost of energy. There are lots of different fruits to choose from with flavours including orange, apple, strawberry and lime. This energy drink is suitable for different occasions including an energy boost in the afternoon or an increased amount to get energised before a workout. The caffeine comes from green tea and coffee extract. Amino acids benefit muscle repair by supplying muscles with amino energy for growth and recovery. For those who usually struggle to find a flavour they like, this makes a great choice.
Science in Sport Go Electrolyte
Science in Sport is one of the leading sports nutrition companies which manufacturers a large range for both enthusiasts and athletes. The brand was founded in 1992 and is based in London. The Go range compromises of products which boost energy. Go Electrolyte contains a blend of carbohydrates which are easily digestible and also electrolytes for maximum hydration.
The combination of energy sources enhances absorption in the body to maintain performance and protect against cramp. For those looking for a combination of both energy and hydration, this makes a great drink. Several flavours are available including blackcurrant, orange and tropical. A smaller pack of 500g and a larger tub of 1.6kg are available for bulk savings. While this product is available widely, we have found Amazon to provide the best value and also offer a subscribe and save service for convenience.
The Protein Works Amino-NRG
Another supplement manufacturer we are hugely familiar with, The Protein Works produce a range of high potency products. We like many of The Protein Works products for their unique blends and combinations which you won’t find elsewhere. All the supplements can be purchased directly from their website and there are regular promotions which make them great value.
Amino-NRG can be taken pre, intra or post-workout. The unique blend includes caffeine and green tea extract, as well as a high concentration of amino acids. Amino-NRG contains a much greater amino acid blend per serving than any other supplement we can find. The flavours include Berry and orange which come in pouches of 250g and 500g.
Ingredients in the best energy drinks powder
While each energy drink will have its own unique ingredients and quality, there are many ingredients common across most energy drinks. Below you can find some of the most common ingredients and why they are included.
Caffeine
The most popular ingredient and found in nearly all energy drinks is caffeine. When you consume a large amount of caffeine (in energy drinks) it reaches the receptors in the brain which affect adenosine. This is a compound which builds the longer we are awake, effectively telling the body it is time for sleep. Caffeine works in effect to replace the adenosine that’s telling you it is time to sleep. Therefore stopping the brain from feeling tired and ready to sleep.
There are further effects of caffeine which provide a boost. When consumed, caffeine is broken down into different modules which are paraxanthine, theobromine and theophylline. Each of these provides benefits which help improve performance. Paraxanthine increases athletic performance, ideal for an intense workout. Theobromine increases the flow of oxygen which gets to the brain. Caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans and more.
The benefits of caffeine include weight loss. As caffeine suppresses appetite, it can reduce our desire to eat temporarily. Also, the thermogenesis effects can contribute to weight loss by causing the body to generate more heat and therefore burning through more calories. Another benefit is increasing alertness. Ideal if you have a busy few hours where you need to concentrate and operate at your best.
Sports performance is also increased by caffeine by increasing endurance and reducing the perceived rate of exertion. There are many further benefits of caffeine which make it hugely popular to be consumed before a workout.
Carbohydrates
Another key in most energy drinks is a blend of carbohydrates. Glycogen is the form of glucose which is used as energy storage by the body. During an intense workout, glycogen stores in the muscles are broken down and used to maintain intensity. Once these have been used, performance will decline as the muscles do not have their required fuel for optimum performance.
The aim of carbohydrates in energy drinks is to replenish lost energy stores. Between different brands & products, there will be different carbohydrates included. Some advanced energy drinks include a blend of multiple carbohydrate supplements. Maltodextrin and dextrose are commonly included and have a high GI, which means they can cause spikes in blood sugar level.
Branched-chain amino acids
Many energy drinks which are targetted at increasing sports performance and recovery will include Branched-chain amino acids. BCAAS are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are the only amino acids which have a chain that branches off to the side. BCAAs are known as essential amino acids as they can’t be produced in the body. This means we must consume them from our diet.
The role of BCAAs is as the building blocks used by the body for protein and muscle. As they are broken down in the muscle, they also play an important role in energy production for exercise. Therefore they are extremely popular in muscle building supplements including pre-workout formulas and also protein.
They may also reduce muscle soreness after an intense weight lifting session. BCAAs have further benefits in that they can reduce tiredness and fatigue during exercise by reducing the production of serotonin in the brain. Overall, BCAAs are a great addition for those participating in intense training sessions.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are common in energy and sports drinks. They are found naturally in the body and play an important role in multiple different functions. There are many different electrolytes including calcium, magnesium and sodium. Electrolytes need to be balanced and maintained in the body for vital systems to function correctly.
They should not be too low or too high. Electrolytes can be lost through sweating and other sports activities. The reason to find them inside energy drinks is to replace the electrolytes lost during those activities.
Buying guide tips
With so much choice available, it’s important you find the right energy drink for you. Take a look at some of our tips below for making the best choice.
Consider your use
When finding the best energy drinks powder for you, consider when you will be using it and the benefits you are looking to gain. For example, if you plan on using before an intense weight lift session, you should be considering an energy drink with added BCAAs. On the other hand, if the use is for an energy boost at work, a higher level of caffeine may be more important for you.
When considering your use, how often you plan on consuming the energy drink is also important. Some can be expensive, particularly when used most days. Take into account the cost over a typical month of use. Energy drink powders usually cost less than those in a can and make for a more economical choice.
Check for availability
There is nothing more frustrating than going to top up your favourite apply and supplements and finding out there is no stock left. This can mean having to purchase another supplement which comes with its own challenges of finding a suitable replacement. We always recommend choosing a supplement which is available from multiple retailers.
This means that if your favourite store has run out, there will be other places which you can use to purchase. We have also noticed many stores online which now offer a subscribe and save service. This provides a regular delivery at a suitable schedule to suit your requirements.
Find a great flavour
One area we see frequently overlooked when buying supplements is the flavour. The taste of all supplements tastes massively different between different brands and products. It’s important to find a flavour that tastes great and you look forward to consuming each day.
We find that if we have a supplement that doesn’t taste great, we don’t look forward to consuming it each day. We may even be less likely to use it. Luckily with energy drinks, there are many great flavours available. We always find the fruit flavours to taste best including orange and also berry flavours.
Summary
Overall, there is a huge amount to pick from when it comes to finding the best energy drinks powder in the UK. You can find our favourites above including Bulk Powders complete hydration and Optimum Nutrition amino energy. An energy drink provides that added boost for an intense workout to keep you performing at your best and to support achieving maximum results.
Common ingredients include caffeine to increase alertness and lower perceived rate of exertion. Carbohydrates are also key to supporting recovery and maintaining endurance.
