Table 5.

Other potential ergogenic nutrients contained in energy drinks that may affect performance

Ingredient	Potential ergogenic value	Scientific support
Panax Ginseng	Contains ginsenosides which are purported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Purported to enhance perceptions of energy, increase stamina and improve nitrogen balance [96].	Most well-controlled research does not support the ergogenic effects for ginseng [97-111]. No known effects at dosages found in ED and ES.
L-Carnitine	Involved in shuttling long chain fatty acids into mitochondria. Purported to promote lipolysis [112].	Limited supportive ergogenic value in athletes or on weight loss [112]. No known effects at dosages found in ED and ES.
D-Ribose	Involved in ATP synthesis. Theoretically, D-ribose supplementation can increase ATP availability.	Some evidence of improved exercise capacity in clinical populations [113] but limited evidence that high dose ribose supplementation affects exercise capacity [114-119]. No known effects at dosages found in ED and ES.
Beta Alanine	Increases muscle carnosine levels, increases muscle buffering, and attenuates fatigue during high intensity exercise [120-124].	Growing scientific evidence of improved anaerobic capacity (2-4 g/d) [125-138]. No known effects at dosages found in ED and ES.
Inositol	Carbohydrate that is not classified as sugar. Involved in insulin signaling, nerve transmission, serotonin modulation, and fat oxidation [139].	No known effects at dosages found in ED or ES.
Citrulline Malate	Optimizes blood flow via arginine-nitric oxide pathway; purported to reduce fatigue and buffer acidity during exercise [140,141].	Some evidence that high dosages (e.g., 6 – 8 g) can affect exercise capacity and/or anabolism [142-149]. No known effects at dosages found in ED and ES.
Quercetin	Reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-modulatory effects [150].	Several studies indicate that Quercetin supplementation (e.g., 1 g/d for 7 d) increases maximal aerobic capacity and time to fatigue [151-166]. No known effects at dosages found in ED or ES.