Many athletes look to supplements to get ready to play with heightened energy levels. Pre-workout supplements such as N.O. Xplode, Jack3d, and caffeinated energy drinks are common choices. These kinds of supplements push you into your sympathetic nervous system by increasing your heart rate and improving blood flow through vasodilation (dilation of blood vessels).

A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that a common energy drink has absolutely no effect on endurance or performance. Since playing basketball requires both explosive and endurance energy systems, supplements that increase the heart rate and stimulate the nervous system can have negative impacts on your performance.

You may start out feeling great in the first few minutes of the game, but you won’t be able to sustain a high level of play throughout the game. Also, with a pre-game supplement pumping through your body, it will be hard to relax and slow your heart rate down when you need to make those clutch free throws.

In addition to these negative impacts on basketball performance, using pre-workout energy supplements can be dangerous to your health. With the hype of a crowd and a skyrocketing heart rate, adding a supplement can be too much for the body to handle.

Stay healthy. Skip the energy drinks and supplements and look for more natural energy sources.