The new series of 'Trust Me, I'm a Doctor' on BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06vrb6l/trust-me-im-a-doctor-series-4-episode-1) explored some interesting myths about diet, exercise and health. They pointed out that 'energy drinks' could be be made in the home quite cheaply but I think they missed a trick. Decades ago, I was part of a team that showed that giving undergraduates a drink of glucose, caused many of our subjects to evidence reactive hypoglycaemia. The glucose triggered a surge of the hormone insulin that actually produced an under-shoot in the normal 'blood sugar' levels. As the brain doesn't store any glucose, this resulted in marked mood changes, notably increased irritability and hostility (Benton et al. 1982). These mood changes appear likely to reduce sporting performance in many contexts. Complex carbohydrates would appear to be a better bet.
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