The body system of every individual needs sufficient energy to carry out their day-to-day activities. Soccer players are not exempted from this fact as they constantly engage in numerous game activities during off-seasons and game seasons.
Soccer players burn a lot of energy and calories while playing soccer because the game is highly demanding. For them to maintain good performance, health experts advise that soccer players should eat right and constantly stay hydrated.
No doubt, many soccer players turn to energy drinks to provide them with the energy they require and also help them stay hydrated for maximum performance during a game.
There are different kinds of popular energy drinks around the world today. Monster energy drinks being one of them, is among the most consumed energy drink brands among soccer players and athletes alike.
Downing it before a game gives soccer players a feeling of being energized and hydrated. Players who don’t drink monster energy drinks often feel like they are missing out on a sort of soccer ritual.
It is not only common among players of association football. Players of futsal, beach soccer, and indoor soccer also enjoy taking monster energy drinks before games, during breaks, and sometimes after games.
This might be linked to the fact that caffeine which is an active stimulant is highly present in monster energy drinks, it is amongst its major ingredients.
Although there is a prolonged endurance and prompt increase in energy levels when you consume monster energy drinks, drinking it before a soccer game might be an awesome decision.
In this article, we have explained in detail what the monster energy drink is, what it does to the body of a soccer player, and its possible side effects. We also discussed if it is healthy for soccer players to consume it before soccer games.
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Can I drink Monster before a soccer game?
One of the best practices a soccer player should always consider a priority in their daily diet. The monster energy drink can be consumed by soccer players from time to time but not a few minutes or seconds before a game’s kickoff; an hour before the game can be considered.
Energy drinks over the years have been attributed to improving mental alertness, increased energy, and also help in improving players’ performance and confidence.
Most soccer players on numerous occasions consume different brands of energy drinks from which they often receive results ranging from increased energy levels, endurance, and amplified levels of focus and concentration.
The monster energy drink has been around for quite some time now and to fully understand its level of impact on the human body, we need to look closely at the breakdown of its basic components.
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- Taurine
Taurine is a stimulant that can be naturally produced by the human body, it is classified as amino acid and can also be found in some food that soccer players consume.
Taurine helps a soccer player in muscle recovery, normalizes energy levels, and regulates heartbeat. The synthetic taurine content in monster energy drinks helps boost soccer players’ energy levels and revives the muscles when draining activities like soccer is carried out.
Research has shown that taurine reduces high blood pressure in the body of soccer players by increasing the easy flow of blood to their brains. It also reduces the impact of severe injuries during soccer games and it also shields the body from cell damage.
Soccer players need enough taurine in their bloodstream to help them attain peak performance while playing the game, to achieve this, extra taurine is needed to complement the natural taurine produced by the body.
- Caffeine
Research shows that caffeine is a natural stimulant that helps enhance focus, minimizes weakness, and keeps soccer players alert. It is commonly found in tea, energy drinks, and coffee.
Caffeine which is among the major contents found in a monster energy drink is about 160mg per can on the average (22.81 mg per 100 ml or 10 mg per fl oz). This is close to half of the daily recommended 400mg caffeine intake for average soccer players.
The Monster drinks with the least amount of caffeine are Monster Zero Sugar (16 fl oz) and Monster Lo-Carb (16 fl oz). However, the caffeine content goes as high as 300 mg for Java Monster 300 (15 fl oz).
With this in mind, you must consider consuming monster energy drinks in moderate quantities to reduce the risk of running into a caffeine overdose.
While playing soccer, caffeine can help offer soccer players alertness and focus. This can be of immense advantage to soccer players because it helps in maximizing their average performance during gameplay.
As good as the known benefits of caffeine may sound, a high dose of it in the human body can cause migraine, diarrhea, anxiety, hyperactivity, dehydration, etc.
- Sugar
Sugar is one of the major contents of monster energy drinks. Being one of the major ingredients in the drink, it is not essentially good for your health most especially if you are an active soccer player.
54g of sugar is contained in a 16 fl. oz can of a monster energy drink. This amount of sugar is very high and can be dangerous to your health as it is higher than the recommended daily sugar intake which is 25g for women and 38g for men.
High intake of sugar amongst soccer players can cause a lot of defects including a rapid decrease in their energy levels, bloating, diabetes, mood swings, weight gain, and high blood pressure.
Gulping more than one can of monster energy drink daily can increase your risks of developing heart diseases, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. This warning must be strictly adhered to by soccer players in order not to abruptly terminate their soccer careers.
- Ginseng
Ginseng is an active ingredient found in all monster energy drinks. It is beneficial to soccer players because it is known to improve memory, concentration, physical stamina, stimulate immune functions, and help in relieving other numerous health issues.
While ginseng has a lot of health benefits to soccer players, it also poses some health risks like diarrhea, hypertension, and insomnia amongst other health defects when taken in excess.
- Sucralose
One of the familiar artificial sweeteners often used in place of natural sugar in most energy drinks is sucralose. It is manufactured from sugar through some chemical process that transforms it into simple sugar.
Although sucralose has been declared safe for human consumption, there has been a trace of side effects linked to it. Studies show that sucralose reduces good gut bacteria found in the food items consumed by soccer players.
These bacteria help in proper food digestion and so it is often advised by experts to soccer players to reduce their daily intake of sucralose to a bearable minimum.
Ingesting a can of monster energy drink before a soccer game is not such a bad idea, as long as it is taken at a suitable time, a soccer player is sure to gain all the benefits it offers.
Although monster energy drinks contain amino acid, B vitamins, citric acid, sugar, and a host of other nutrients, caffeine remains its most active ingredient.
Research over the years shows that caffeine when ingested at the right time and in the right quantity improves the accuracy and overall performance of soccer players.
Its sugar content also plays a major role in boosting soccer players’ energy as its caffeine content keeps them going although they might experience a sugar crash when the sugar wears off eventually.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of drinking Monster?
When soccer players drink monster an hour before a soccer game, it helps all the ingredients to set in properly. The caffeine in a can of monster energy drink takes about 30-60 minutes to get to its peak effect after being ingested and lasts for over 3 hours in the body before slowly wearing off.
There are many benefits soccer players can obtain from drinking monster in a moderate amount before a soccer game, some of these benefits are stated below.
- The caffeine content in monster energy drinks helps to enhance alertness and focus
- They enhance soccer players steady sprint speed
- Energy levels are increased while fatigue is lessened
- There is an upsurge in players fight and flight actions
- Player’s endurance levels are highly improved
As exciting as the benefits of monster energy drink sounds, soccer players are advised to strictly limit its use in their daily diet to maintain optimal health status.
Daily intake and high dosage of monster energy drink are linked to various health risks like;
- Heart attack
- Insomnia
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Nervousness
- Nausea
- Irritability
- Weight gain
- Diabetes
- Jitters
- Diarrhea
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Coronary heart disease
To achieve optimal performance in a soccer game, soccer players should not solely depend on a can or two of monster energy drinks or other popular brands of energy drinks.
They should ensure they eat a rich carb meal on the night before the game and nutritious breakfast that is rich in carbohydrate, moderate protein, and low fat as most of the energy comes from their diet.
Monster energy drink when drunk 30 minutes before a soccer match will enhance the already generated energy from the breakfast and get them up and ready for any challenge.
Soccer players must always make sure that their hydration level is top-notch—and that will mean regular sips during the game especially during summer.
Monster drink is energy-giving and not supposedly a hydrating drink. Therefore, it should not be used in place of hydrating drinks like water and fruit juice.
Conclusion
Monster energy drink provides relatively substantial benefits to soccer players when taken moderately and at the right time. It should be consumed with caution as some active ingredients existing in it can cause severe health problems in the short or long run.
As a soccer player, monster energy drinks shouldn’t be included in your daily nutrition calendar because they are high in caffeine, carbon dioxide, and sugar. It should only be taken 30 minutes before or after engaging in strenuous activities like soccer, gym, and training sessions.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!