Member Article

High sugar, no caffeine drinks bad for concentration

High sugar, low caffeine drinks do not combat sleepiness and can cause slower reactions and worse concentration, scientists have found. Scientists at the University of Loughborough measured the effects of high sugar, low caffeine drinks against an identically tasting zero-sugar drink. Sleep-deprived participants who drank the high-sugar drink performed significantly worse in a test that assessed sleepiness and ability to concentrate. “A ‘sugar rush’ is not very effective in combating sleepiness - so avoid soft drinks that contain lots of sugar but little or no caffeine,” explains Professor Jim Horne, who runs the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Loughborough. “A much better way to combat sleepiness is to have a drink that contains more useful amounts of caffeine and combine this with a short nap”. Previous research has found that high energy drinks containing caffeine will help boost concentration.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .