For a long run where you want carbohydrate from a drink, choose by the carbohydrate and electrolyte information on a sports-drink label rather than relying on a zero-sugar energy drink. The UK Sports Institute notes that carbohydrate needs rise with exercise duration and intensity; an energy drink can serve a separate, optional caffeine role for an adult who has already tried that product and serving in training.
If you want a drink to contribute carbohydrate during sustained training, compare its nutrition panel with your planned serving. The UK Sports Institute explains why carbohydrate becomes more relevant as exercise lasts longer.
If caffeine is part of your training plan, compare milligrams per whole container, account for other sources and try the chosen serving in training before considering it for a race.
A zero-sugar energy drink may fit a preference for a drink without sugar, but check its carbohydrate panel before treating it as long-run fuel. Plan any carbohydrate you need separately.
Decide whether the drink needs to contribute fuel, provide optional caffeine, or simply suit another occasion; then compare the full serving you expect to use.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | Read carbohydrate per 100 ml and for the amount you plan to drink. The UK Sports Institute says carbohydrate needs increase as exercise gets longer and more intense. | For a long session, I want to know whether my drink contributes to my carbohydrate plan rather than choosing it because the label says ‘energy’. |
| Electrolytes and fluid | Check the declared salt or sodium and the container size. Compare those details with the other drinks and fuel you plan to carry. | I want a serving and bottle format that work with how I will drink and carry fluids during training. |
| Caffeine | Compare milligrams per whole can, not just per 100 ml. Red Bull UK lists 80 mg in a 250 ml Sugarfree can; Monster Energy UK lists 150 mg in a 500 ml Monster Ultra can. | If I choose caffeine, I need to account for coffee, gels and other caffeinated products too, and use an amount I have tried in training. |
| Zero sugar | Check both sugars and total carbohydrate. A zero-sugar name does not tell you how the drink fits your entire fuelling plan. | I may want a zero-sugar drink on one occasion, but I would arrange carbohydrate separately when the session calls for it. |
| Suitability | Read pack warnings, ingredients and serving information, particularly when choosing a caffeinated drink or changing products. | I want to test the exact drink and serving in training, rather than discovering on race day that its taste or format does not suit me. |
Red Bull Sugarfree and Monster Ultra are zero-sugar caffeine options, while the Lucozade Sport Lemon & Lime listing describes carbohydrate and electrolytes for sustained exercise. The drinks serve different purposes.
Start with your session plan: check carbohydrate and electrolytes if you want drink-based fuel, or caffeine per container if caffeine is the reason for buying.
Red Bull UK lists 80 mg caffeine in a 250 ml Sugarfree can, whereas Monster Energy UK lists 150 mg in a 500 ml Monster Ultra can. The milligrams in the serving matter more than its size alone.
Add up the caffeine in the drinks, gels and other products you plan to use, and try your chosen serving in training.
A different serving, taste or caffeinated product may not suit the routine you practised. The International Olympic Committee's guidance advises trialling performance-oriented supplements in training or simulated competition before competition.
Try the exact drink, amount and timing alongside your planned fuel during training.
An adult runner's caffeine choice should not be carried over to a child or someone who is pregnant. NHS pregnancy guidance sets a limit of 200 mg caffeine a day from all sources.
Read the pack warning and consider caffeine from every source. For a minor, check current local sales rules rather than assuming a planned rule is already in force.
These references help distinguish drink types; a brand name alone does not establish how a particular flavour or serving fits your training plan.
A sports-drink range to assess when you want carbohydrate from a drink.
Sugarfree is a zero-sugar energy-drink option when caffeine, rather than drink-based carbohydrate, is the aim.
Monster Ultra is another zero-sugar energy-drink option, with a different listed can size and caffeine amount.
A conventional energy-drink range; Tesco lists Relentless Origin in its energy-drink category.
A retailer where shoppers can compare regular and sugar-free drinks, rather than a single drink formulation.
These options include sports and electrolyte drinks to assess for drink-based fuelling, followed by a zero-sugar energy drink to assess separately for optional caffeine.
No image available
For drink-based long-run fuelling, check the Orange flavour's carbohydrate, salt and ingredients against your planned serving. This pack contains 12 × 500 ml bottles; try the drink in training before relying on it for a race.
No image available
If you want a drink to contribute to your long-run fuel, check the carbohydrate and sodium information for the amount you plan to drink. Consider how the 900 ml bottle fits your carrying and serving arrangements.
No image available
For a ready-to-drink option, compare the pack's carbohydrate and salt information with your training plan. If the sweetener or other ingredients matter to you, confirm them on the physical pack; try the serving in training.
No image available
The 325 ml carbonated format offers a distinct serving to consider for a run. Check its carbohydrate and salt panel, and try the carbonation during training before choosing it for a race.
No image available
This is an optional caffeine choice for an adult, not the drink-based carbohydrate part of a long-run plan. Red Bull UK lists 80 mg caffeine per 250 ml can; account for other caffeine sources and try the serving in training.
Do not rely on its zero-sugar label as a source of carbohydrate fuel. The UK Sports Institute notes that carbohydrate needs rise with exercise duration and intensity, so check how your chosen drinks and other foods contribute to the fuelling plan you have tried in training.
Compare milligrams in the whole can and count other caffeine sources. Red Bull UK lists 80 mg in a 250 ml Sugarfree can, while Monster Energy UK lists 150 mg in a 500 ml Monster Ultra can; try the amount you intend to use in training.
Try the product and planned serving during training instead. International Olympic Committee guidance advises trialling performance-oriented supplements before competition; practising your drink alongside your other fuel also lets you assess its taste and format.
NHS guidance says not to have more than 200 mg caffeine a day during pregnancy. Count caffeine from all foods, drinks and supplements rather than assessing an energy drink on its own.
No UK-wide ban should be assumed. In July 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care announced a planned ban on sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in England from April 2027. Check the current rules where you are buying rather than treating that future England-specific measure as already in force.