Irritable Bowel Syndrome, commonly called IBS, is a stomach ailment that greatly upsets the large intestine. It is linked to a variety of symptoms. It starts with abdominal cramps followed by diarrhea or constipation, or there can be an alternate episode of both situations, as mentioned earlier. Other symptoms may include bloating or gas.
Sadly, you have to let go of a few of your desired edible items that are too hard to stop consuming, including energy drinks.
According to statistics, I have observed that many people are reliant on energy drinks solely to get done with their work.
A major question is: Can you drink energy drinks while being affected by IBS?
In short, yes, you can drink energy drinks even if you are infected with IBS. However, try consuming them in moderate amounts.
However, you already know about this. You are here and reading this article because you are searching for the best energy drink powders good for IBS.
Therefore, to make your search better, I have gathered information regarding some light energy drinks on the stomach and would appeal to you and can also retain the energy levels required to pass a hectic day.
Advocare Spark, Sneak Energy, and GG by Gamer Supps are the best energy drink powders for IBS.
Continue reading further to know more about these energy drinks.
Energy Drinks and IBS
In general, energy drinks are not recommended for IBS for several reasons. Several substances in energy drinks can irritate the stomach and digestive tract, including glucose, caffeine, and other additives.
To start this topic, I would like to mention that I am highly dependent on a caffeinated drink to recharge myself and start the day. For the sake of convenience, I mostly get my energy from coffee or energy drinks.
Unfortunately, in some way, energy drinks are believed to trigger IBS, which means that utilizing too much of them is not a good thing.
But here is some good news for all of you. People affected by IBS can still devour energy drinks provided that one can hit upon the right one for their condition.
If you stand by, a very common rule when selecting your energy drink is choosing one with a moderate to low amount of caffeine and sugar. The reason why I am stating this common rule is that these two factors commonly deteriorate IBS.
Is Caffeine okay for IBS?
In a general way, moderate levels of caffeine can be alright for IBS.
It is important to know that caffeine is largely believed to be a mismatch for people affected by IBS mainly because caffeine is known to activate the stomach to make acid, which in turn stimulates the colon or gut, hence heading towards an irritated bowel.
Consequently, people who are generally more allergic to caffeine might end up having a worse IBS condition if high doses of caffeine are consumed.
According to various studies, feeding on caffeine is directly linked to an increased occurrence of IBS, specifically among bulky women.
As all of you would know, the most common caffeinated items include coffee, energy drinks, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate.
Nonetheless, there is still good news, and you can cheer up as it doesn’t mean that cutting out caffeine completely is the only option. As I mentioned earlier, it totally and solely depends on how much caffeine is tolerated by you and your stomach. You can very easily gauge if caffeine isn’t affecting your IBS severely; small amounts of caffeine can still be taken.
I agree that many people, including me, get their daily dose of energy through caffeine to survive the day, and there are times when only a caffeinated drink would make things breathable.
People who like to drink coffee or tea with an avid urge for a caffeine jolt and don’t want a hassle with their gut and upset can easily select a decaffeinated option or less caffeinated ones, for example, green tea.
Is Sugar okay for IBS?
Similarly, like caffeine, sugar is also okay if taken in moderate to fewer amounts, particularly for IBS.
It is rightly said that excessive use of anything causes nothing but damage. Keeping this thing in mind, usage of excess sugar can lead you to IBS because the sugar will not be absorbed completely by your intestines.
People who go through IBS are most certainly to be fructose-intolerant. Fructose is basically an alternative term for sugar. Artificial sweeteners in sugar-free energy drinks can also deteriorate your bowel movements.
A sweetener, Sucralose, essentially modifies the good bacteria and pH level in your gut, finally leading to problems in the digestive tract.
Due to this, you should pay strict attention to the label and ingredients list when choosing an energy beverage, as well as all the terms by which sugar is known.
Want to know whether sugar is ok for IBS or not? Then, check this video.
Are Energy Drinks bad for IBS?
Yes, energy drinks can be unhealthy for IBS.
Why?
Mainly because some energy beverages comprise a high level of caffeine and sugar, both of which are equally harmful to IBS-affected patients.
There is another factor associated with energy drinks. Energy drinks also play a role in acting as diuretics. A diuretic is a water pill used to get rid of body salt and water. Energy drinks acting like a diuretic won’t be helpful for you if you already have diarrhea. The reason is that the blend of diuretics on top of diarrhea could be very damaging as it can cause dehydration further to your body.
Other side effects, like anxiousness, jitters, and stomach upsets, can also be activated by energy drinks. All these factors can possibly deteriorate your gastrointestinal situation.
All of this doesn’t guarantee that you need to stop consuming energy drinks. As I mentioned earlier, you can consume energy drinks with a moderate level of caffeine and sugar, and you can still enjoy them to get through your day by making sure that your bowel movements aren’t affected.
What drinks to avoid with IBS?
There are certain drinks that people with IBS should avoid.
With a lot of foods, you’ve probably heard what should not be consumed while having IBS, and you might find yourself having a hard time sorting out the drinks to avoid taking a lot of toll from your time.
There are a lot of drinks available in the market. But the question now is, what drinks should I avoid and what can I replace them instead?
So, let me cut down the chase. Here are the options you can try that aggravate your system.
Soft Drinks
Carbonated drinks like soft drinks can cause excessive flatulence and may eventually lead to some serious digestive problems.
People with IBS and consuming soft drinks are not creating a good match, so getting rid of soft drinks from your daily food and drinks intake might help you to also keep away from IBS flare-ups.
In replacement, you can drink iced teas instead. Teas are non-soda and you can choose whether what kind of tea you like or even make one at home.
Milk
The majority of those who are suffering from IBS are also lactose-intolerant.
Lactose is commonly found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt. And if you are diagnosed with IBS, you’ve probably heard of the FODMAP diet, which was specifically designed to manage your IBS symptoms.
Refraining your intake from food that belongs to FODMAP can help you relieve your symptoms, and that also means cutting ties from your favorite milk.
But there is always an alternative. If you cannot eat your favorite bowl of cereals for breakfast without skipping milk, you can always switch to replacing it with a lactose-free one.
Also, you can opt into using coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk and try to limit your consumption to small quantities.
Can Energy Drinks help with fatigue from IBS?
Yes, most definitely, energy drinks play a vital role in diminishing fatigue from IBS.
Except for the stomach upset given by IBS, other issues caused by it are fatigue, appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting.
It is justifiably, it is such a bummer to get stuck in a situation, but nevertheless, you have to pick yourself up and get going to pass the day regardless of not feeling good. You can definitely gain your dose of energy from energy drinks only if caffeine and sugar do not activate your IBS.
You can buy some hours and feel relaxed until you get back to life. This help can be given by energy drinks to let you rest for some time.
Again, let me remind you that it is very important to keep in mind that too much caffeine or sugar consumption will only lead to irritable bowel movements.
Can you drink water if you suffer from IBS?
Definitely, water is undoubtedly the finest beverage to drink for people who suffer from IBS.
If you have constipation caused by IBS, then water is by far the best way to let your stools pass out with ease. Similarly, if you have diarrhea caused by IBS, you are hydrated well by drinking lots of water.
Thus, it is believed to be a great habit of keeping a water bottle handy whenever you go out every time. Furthermore, if plain water doesn’t interest you or is difficult to drink, you can always add some lemon juice or any other organic ingredient to make it drinkable.
Can Caffeine help with IBS constipation?
As minimal as it can be, the answer is a plain YES. Caffeine does help with constipation caused by IBS.
The reason is that the contractions in your colon and intestinal muscles that stimulate you to pass stool are caused by caffeine. This can be easily understood by people who are affected by IBS. Studies suggest that if you consume a caffeinated drink, like tea, coffee, or an energy drink, probably you are going to be able to defecate better.
But, caffeine is also a diuretic; hence it might deteriorate constipation as dehydration will kick in if caffeine is consumed in greater quantities.
For those who have severe constipation, taking fiber in your daily routine will help you deal with it.
Can you drink Red Bull if you have IBS?
To put it straightforwardly, sadly, it cannot be answered simply in yes or no as it is greatly dependent on various factors.
For example, an 8.4 fl. Oz can of Red Bull energy drink comprises of:
- 80 mg caffeine
- 27g sugar
- 110 calories
If you look at the above numbers, I think the quantity of caffeine is quite reasonable for IBS, but the amount of sugar is still a tad bit increased, and it might get the bowel movement aggravated more.
That being said, as I hinted earlier, it all drops down on the level of tolerance of your body and how your body reacts to sugar and caffeine. Thus, if you feel and observe that consuming Red Bull worsens your condition and irritates the bowel movement, you should most certainly stop taking it.
But there is no need to get sad, there are more energy drinks available in the market with diverse ranges of caffeine and sugar, and they must be able to lift you up on a tiring day by making sure to keep your gut safe without irritating it.
Best Energy Drinks for IBS
Now that you know how energy drinks affect your IBS, let’s look at some of the best energy drink powders that will not affect your IBS.
| Energy Drink | Sugar Content | Calorie Content |
| Advocare Spark | 0 | 45 |
| Sneak Energy | 0 | 10 |
| GG by Gamer Supps | 0 | 0 |
Advocate Spark Energy Drink
Caffeine content: 120mg
Sugar content: Zero sugar
Price: 54$
Calorie Content: 45 calories
Advocare energy drink powder is perfect for IBS due to its small caffeine and sugar amount.
Advocare energy drink powder contains only less sugar and has 120mg of caffeine, which shows that it could act as a non-sensitive drink to your gut provided that you are not too sensitive to caffeine.
The best thing about Advocate Spark Energy Drink is that it has quite low calories as well, and you can use very easy exercise to reduce them by simply jogging in the afternoon. Furthermore, Advocare energy drink powder has a variety of flavors and comes in small pocket-friendly packets.
As far as availability is concerned, it is easily accessible on its official store and numerous other e-commerce sites like Amazon.
Sneak Energy Drink
Caffeine content: 200mg
Sugar content: Zero sugar
Price: 40$
Calorie Content: 10 calories
Another energy drink on the list for best energy drink powder for IBS is Sneak Energy.
This famous gamer drink, Sneak energy drink, is one trusted brand in the beverage industry, notably for sports players. It is also believed to be one of the healthiest energy drinks as it sustains the boost of energy and intensifies your mental focus.
However, it should be noted that since Sneak energy drink has a high level of caffeine, you should be vigilant while consuming it in high amounts.
This energy drink is easily accessible from their official website and available on other podiums like Amazon. You can get it in more than 40 flavors, which is an added treat for people who like to experiment with different tastes. You can also check my previous article Sneak Review here.
GG by Gamer Supps
Caffeine Content: 100mg
Calorie Content: 0
Sugar Content: 0
Price: $25 to $35
GG by Gamer Supps is also perfect for IBS.
GG by Gamer Supps is a different gamer drink known to increase energy levels. This drink is filled with nootropics, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. The amount of caffeine in this drink is appropriate compared to other energy drinks. You can easily consume it without worrying about an overdose of caffeine or other health concerns.
A big advantage of this energy drink powder is that it comes with zero sugar and hence has zero calories. Furthermore, this energy drink powder has a variety of different flavors. The only major concern for me is its price. It is pretty expensive in comparison to other energy drinks.
This drink is available both in tubs and sachets, and you can easily order them through their official website. Find the full GG energy drink honest review here if you’re curious about more information on this amazing energy drink.
Conclusion
So, in short, Advocare Spark, Sneak Energy, and GG by Gamer Supps are the best energy drink powders for IBS.
Only because you have weakening gut issues or stomach-related concerns doesn’t mean you should experience lazy or inactive mornings and afternoon plunges.
Understandably, many people are disheartened with IBS when they shop for energy drinks as it is visible that almost all the energy drinks have caffeine in them.
But hopefully, the above-mentioned caffeine-free alternatives will increase the level of energy without upsetting your stomach. I would suggest that the only way is to test as many brands as possible to find a suitable one for your abdominal health. Stay patient and positive, and you will make your fortune by finding the perfect match for the energy drink.