Skip caffeine drinks, consume sparkling water to maximize gaming edge

 Forget G Fuel or sugary, caffeinated energy drinks to give you a competitive advantage during extended gaming sessions - drink sparkling water to keep the vibes going. If a gamer is looking to stay alert and sustain a long-form session, carbonated water outperforms regular water, according to researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan.

The researchers observed a small handful of gamers playing video game soccer for three hours across two sessions, with participants drinking either plain water or sparkling water, while researchers monitored heart rate, pupil diameter, and other physical characteristics. Compared head-to-head, drinking sparkling water over regular water helped boost game enjoyment, reduced subjective fatigue, prevented pupil constriction, and improved executive function test performance.

While there were no changes in offensive or defensive performance metrics, the players committed fewer fouls after drinking sparkling water.

Since dehydration hinders cognitive performance―the foundation of the motor skills, reaction times, and visual processing speed that competitive gamers depend on―proper hydration is paramount. The gaming market, however, has largely been flooded with "gamer" supplements and insanely caffeinated energy drinks.

A few years ago, Activision Blizzard spoke with a registered dietician specializing in health and performance improvements for casual and professional gamers - and water consumption was the first thing mentioned: "Hydration is key," and later added this tip: "I recommend the players I work with to drink 12 gulps of water when they first wake up, which is equivalent to about 16 ounces. Drinking fluid throughout the day and staying hydrated is crucial."

However, researchers were also immediately interested in whether there were certain hydration methods - and what liquids or supplements were consumed - as part of their nutritional regimen.

Other researchers have confirmed the same recommendation.

As esports continues to boom worldwide, expect more research centered on generating peak performance for competitors fragging it out for sometimes massive cash prizes. During a tournament day in September 2024, 60 percent of esports gamers were found to suffer from "significant dehydration" - while just 10 percent were classified as "well hydrated" - according to a study posted in Science & Sports.

Curiously, there was no correlation between hydration status and lifestyle variables, so hours slept, BMI, pro vs. amateur gamers, or daily time spent gaming didn't show significant associations.

Regardless if it's sparkling water or still water, if you want to strive for peak performance before the next tournament, make sure you focus on proper hydration starting the day before.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has this reminder for gamers looking for every possible advantage over the competition. "By fueling their bodies, esports athletes will have better stamina, higher energy levels, and more focus and concentration. Good nutrition can boost performance and improve the outcomes in their games." 

Everyone, don't forget to hydrate!