Since most students have rigorous schedules during the day, they need something to keep them energized. Often times, students turn to energy drinks to help them get through the daunting stretches.

Dietetics and food administration program director Lisa Herzig believes energy drinks provide more than just energy.

“I know the purpose is that [the student athletes] want to increase the overall energy and output to improve performance,” Herzig said. “They’re not going to get the prolonged level of energy that their bodies require in order to have maximum output for performance.”

Herzig explains that there are other fuel sources that provide energy, such as carbohydrates, proteins and certain types of fats. Also, there are other nutrients that will help for a long-term effect as opposed to just a short quick fix.

The program director said with a more balanced diet there is no need for energy drinks, but there are still some reasons why students drink them.

“They may be fatigued going into the actual match or meet or game,” Herzig said. “So they feel like they need to have a stimulant in order to hype up their system so that they can perform. What they don’t realize is that many times it’s short lived, and it may queue their focus and their attention because their bodies are too hyped up and they’re not able to perform as well as they can because they’re not focused.”

Even though, Herzig provided reasons why students consume them, she still doesn’t see a reason to drink them.

“I don’t really see a place in one’s diet for energy drinks,” Herzig said. “There are other products like guarana, for example, which are herbal stimulants that overstimulate the body. So, if you have somebody who takes these things, and they’re not aware of how their body is going to respond then they can really have a serious nervous reaction to it.”

Registered dietitian Kim Tirapelle also has similar feelings toward these drinks.

“I think they are bad,” Tirapelle said. “The reason is if an athlete is consuming energy drinks, they are replacing other nutritious drinks. Water, milk, 100 percent fruit juice are just going to be providing some kind of nutrition whether it’s carbohydrates, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals which athletes all really need.”

Tirapelle also gave her assessment about why student-athletes consume energy drinks.

“The fact that it is a central nervous system stimulant and you have that boost of energy, it certainly can impact and enhance your performance, which is why a lot of athletes will consume them,” Tirapelle said. “The reasons I wouldn’t recommend them is because it impacts your sleep patterns in a negative way, which is not good for athletes because they need the sleep time to recover.”

“Additionally, caffeine is very addicting,” she said. “So if you try to wean off at any time, you’re going to have headaches. The recommendation is 300 milligrams per day. To give you an example, a grande Starbucks coffee has about 300 milligrams. Most people probably consume more than that.”

One player who is used to needing extra energy is Fresno State defensive end Chris Carter. With all of the time spent on the football field, the senior has to find some ways of getting extra energy.

“I just eat a lot,” Carter said. “I eat as much as I can and try to stay hydrated. Honestly, that’s the best way that I find to get energy. We actually do a lot of things real natural, so we don’t drink a lot of protein shakes. Some players get their own protein shakes, but the school doesn’t fund them for us. Protein shakes have to get approved through the school and the NCAA. There’s Muscle Milk Collegiate which is specialized for NCAA regulations, but I personally don’t use anything.”

For the 2010 WAC Defensive Player of the Year, the added energy is apparent on the field, with his 55 tackles and a career-high 11 sacks this season.

With a balanced diet, the defensive end shows that there is no need to consume energy drinks to be successful.

Carter’s success on the field has contributed to the win column with the team finishing in fourth place in the WAC with a 8-4 record. The Bulldogs are bowl-bound for the fourth straight year.