Does drinking energy drinks help you lose weight?

Posted on October 26, 2022 | Last updated February 10, 2025

In conclusion, drinking energy drinks will not make you lose weight.

Weight loss or gain is based on the simple calculation of the difference between the calories consumed and the calories burned. Since energy drinks contain calories, it is highly unlikely that drinking them will result in weight loss.

However, it is possible to use certain energy drinks as part of a diet. Keeping in mind that simply drinking energy drinks will not help you lose weight, let's explore how they can be utilized for dieting purposes.

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

If You Could Lose Weight by Drinking Energy Drinks

If Caloric Intake from Food is Low

If you were to lose weight by drinking energy drinks, it would be in cases where the caloric intake from food is significantly lower than the calories burned. If the calories burned exceed the calories consumed, you will lose weight even if you drink energy drinks.

However, it’s important to note that you need to burn 7200kcal per 1kg of fat. If weight loss occurs rapidly, it’s usually due to the reduction in water weight, not fat. Fat loss does not happen that quickly.

Also, if your caloric intake remains low for a prolonged period, your body will enter a state of starvation, lowering metabolism and preventing fat reduction. This is often referred to as a "low metabolic" state. When in this state, reducing caloric intake further will not lead to fat loss. If weight loss occurs under such conditions, it's most likely due to water or muscle loss.

If You’re Drinking Zero-Calorie Energy Drinks

If you are drinking zero-sugar and zero-calorie energy drinks, theoretically, you are not consuming calories, so you will not gain weight.

If your calories burned exceed your calories consumed, you will lose weight.

However, it can be difficult to burn more calories through regular daily activities than what is consumed, so controlling food intake often becomes necessary.

Using Energy Drinks for Weight Loss

To use energy drinks efficiently for weight loss, consider the following plan:

Ensure protein intake is at least 1g per kilogram of body weight
Stick to a low-fat diet
Incorporate exercise daily to maintain metabolism
Drink zero-calorie, caffeine-rich energy drinks before exercising

Since you are reducing caloric intake, it’s important to avoid muscle loss by consuming more protein than the average recommended intake. Avoid fats, but don’t reduce carbohydrates, as they are essential for energy and muscle protein synthesis.

By drinking zero-calorie, caffeine-rich energy drinks before exercise, you can enhance fat burning during the workout due to the fat-burning effect of caffeine.

Drinking Fat-Burning Energy Drinks Alone Won’t Make You Lose Weight

Although this may sound a bit technical, it’s important to remember that simply drinking energy drinks won’t help you lose weight. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Following this theory, you can use zero-calorie energy drinks with caffeine as a support for fat burning.

However, the arginine, vitamins, and carnitine found in energy drinks are present in much smaller amounts compared to supplements, so their effect on weight loss is negligible.

If you want to use energy drinks for weight loss, simply choose those that are "zero-calorie" and "caffeine-rich."