Most helpful beverage on test day?

[Dr Trek 1]

I have a friend who scored a 176 on the LSAT (180 is the perfect score) and attributes it all to the energy drink RedBull. Of course that isn't the only thing that caused his score, but it very well helped him to concentrate. Has anyone had luck drinking such drinks before MCAT sections and noticing any improvements?

Also, what do you think is the best Gatorade flavor and do you think it helps more than drinking water on test day?

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[juiceman311]

I'm by no means an expert, but I would say that Gatorade would be favored over both water and Powerade. Gatorade was engineered to be isoosmotic with the human body, so you won't have to urinate as frequently compared to water. Powerade has depressents added to it which could slow you down, although a little powerade may help calm your nerves before hand?

I've taken Red Bull in the past, usually after long nights and needing a kick before class/tests...I can't say I've noticed anything different, I still would have rather been in bed 😎

 

[jon stewart]

I'm by no means an expert, but I would say that Gatorade would be favored over both water and Powerade. Gatorade was engineered to be isoosmotic with the human body, so you won't have to urinate as frequently compared to water. Powerade has depressents added to it which could slow you down, although a little powerade may help calm your nerves before hand?

I've taken Red Bull in the past, usually after long nights and needing a kick before class/tests...I can't say I've noticed anything different, I still would have rather been in bed 😎

haha, yea, all these "energy drinks" dont help me, they dont do anything.

 

[gotgame83]

My drink of choice is blue mountain blast powerade. I will come fully stocked on aug 20th, i dont want my brain to cramp up from dehydration lol

 

[adiddas125]

My drink of choice is blue mountain blast powerade. I will come fully stocked on aug 20th, i dont want my brain to cramp up from dehydration lol

I totally agree with you, but I tend to like the Fierce Grape Gatorade. Though it still turns my tongue blue. 64 fluid oz of freedom here I COME!

 

[priyanka]

Does powerade make one pee a lot, like coffee?

 

[gotgame83]

Does powerade make one pee a lot, like coffee?

well its not a diuretic like coffee is but dont go slamming down 64oz all at once and you should be fine.

 

[ctv1116]

My only fear is urination, will Gatorade cause you to need to go to the bathroom often, ala coffee?

 

[SensesFail]

I use Gatorade Frost in between PS and Verbal and again in between Writing and Bio. If anything, it gives your brain much-needed glucose and doesn't make you groggy. Haven't had a problem with it while writing Full-lenghts, but usually after a section's over, I gotta' piss like a racehorse. Was thinking of trying Red-Bull but I'll probably stick with Gatorade.

 

[adiddas125]

My only fear is urination, will Gatorade cause you to need to go to the bathroom often, ala coffee?

I haven't had the need to go urinate frequently while consuming gatorade, but always check with your health care professional before trying stuff out! 🙂

 

[el.harpo]

I take a Starbucks DoubleShot Expresso before the Verbal section. To avoid going to the washroom a lot just don't consume too much water during the morning and before PS (just enough to wet your throat is good) and make sure you go to the washroom right before you chug that doubleshot down. If you don't drink a lot of water before this then you'll be fine. Just make sure you try it on yourself before you do it on test day because what works for me might not work for you and vice-versa.

 

[jintonic5]

I have a friend who scored a 176 on the LSAT (180 is the perfect score) and attributes it all to the energy drink RedBull. Of course that isn't the only thing that caused his score, but it very well helped him to concentrate. Has anyone had luck drinking such drinks before MCAT sections and noticing any improvements?

Also, what do you think is the best Gatorade flavor and do you think it helps more than drinking water on test day?

actually, i'm a firm believer in the power of red bull... i drank so much of it during finals week my pee turned green (sorry TMI). but it worked a lot better than coffee-- coffee made me jittery, but i could concentrate pretty well with RB.

however, i'm not going to bring RB with me to the mcat b/c i haven't been studying with it. i'm going to keep my beverage consumption consistent until this hellish test is over with... and after that we can discuss another form of beverage consumption. 🙄

 

[FutureDoc2010]

before/during test - chilled espresso

after test/until 72 hrs later - ethyl alcohol aqueous solution with any combination of carbohydrates and/or carbon dioxide (in equilibrium, of course, with carbonic acid)

 

[jmnykrkts]

ethyl alcohol aqueous solution with any combination of carbohydrates and/or carbon dioxide (in equilibrium, of course, with carbonic acid)

Nerd extraordinaire. 😉

 

[FutureDoc2010]

Hey man, don't playa hate. If there is any possible way I'm going to benifit from getting totally obliterated after the exam is for me to the think about the chemistry involved beforehand (-;

 

[adiddas125]

actually, i'm a firm believer in the power of red bull... i drank so much of it during finals week my pee turned green (sorry TMI). but it worked a lot better than coffee-- coffee made me jittery, but i could concentrate pretty well with RB.

however, i'm not going to bring RB with me to the mcat b/c i haven't been studying with it. i'm going to keep my beverage consumption consistent until this hellish test is over with... and after that we can discuss another form of beverage consumption. 🙄

I am trying out Red Bull for the first time... Wow. I like it, it really woke me up and those verbal passages.... made much more sense. I need a Red Bull dispensing hat for the mcat. I will see how much I like the effects of red bull later... Its my first time cracking open a can. So far the taste... YUM! 😀

 

[AggieJohn]

I was under the impression that you couldn't take drinks/food into the testing center.

 

[SpyPuts]

Think Diet RedBull works just as well? Or do you think sugar adds to its effectiveness?

You've got to be kidding.

 

[Dr Trek 1]

Not during the test!!! But during the 10 minute breaks, so you could always keep it in your car.

It depends on your proctors. The proctors when I last took the MCAT allowed us to drink water during the exam. I even took Advil in the middle of the verbal section as I recall.

 

[mandy_848]

My only fear is urination, will Gatorade cause you to need to go to the bathroom often, ala coffee?

i hesitate to offer this as advice 'cause i've gotten backlash for it in the past but i've always found that if you seriously need something for a caffeine boost without having to worry about going to the bathroom, wake-up pills (a brand of caffeine pills - i've never seen another brand) work really well. i'd only use 1/4 to 1/2 of one 'cause a full one leaves you kind of jittery (at least in my experience). i honestly never go into an exam without them and it doesn't provide an excessive amount of caffeine if you don't take the whole pill.

 

[myodana]

advice from someone who took last year's mcat...
if you drink coffee every morning, drink coffee the morning of the exam. during the exam and breaks, drink WATER. i mean, don't drink a TON of it, but definitely enough to stay hydrated. if you bring a water bottle, rip off the label. there were rumors about bottles being banned b/c people wrote notes inside the label or something. i don't remember exactly. and the most important thing? PEE DURING EVERY BREAK. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO. JUST DO IT. then you're covered, and you won't need to worry about it during the test. GOOD LUCK!! (is it this weekend?)

 

[jmnykrkts]

i hesitate to offer this as advice 'cause i've gotten backlash for it in the past but i've always found that if you seriously need something for a caffeine boost without having to worry about going to the bathroom, wake-up pills (a brand of caffeine pills - i've never seen another brand) work really well. i'd only use 1/4 to 1/2 of one 'cause a full one leaves you kind of jittery (at least in my experience). i honestly never go into an exam without them and it doesn't provide an excessive amount of caffeine if you don't take the whole pill.

doesn't this bring the same problem (peeing) as a cup of coffee? caffeine inhibits Aldosterone (or maybe it was ADH, can't remember) so the fact that it's in pill form shouldn't really make a difference cause the problem is decreased water retention by the kidneys.

 

[jmnykrkts]

Hey man, don't playa hate. If there is any possible way I'm going to benifit from getting totally obliterated after the exam is for me to the think about the chemistry involved beforehand (-;

No playa hatin dawg, I was just messin. 🙂

I can definitely empathize with the seeing everything in MCAT supergeekmode. I wonder how much of this stuff I will actually remember in like 2 months from now.

 

[adiddas125]

Case Study Observations....

My Body seems to be tolerating Red Bull Quite Fine. It is quite a tasty drink, and it is allowing me to focus on my VR passages like a shark looking for my prey (aka the answer)! No immediate side effects, I just want to keep drinking more! 😛

 

[mandy_848]

doesn't this bring the same problem (peeing) as a cup of coffee? caffeine inhibits Aldosterone (or maybe it was ADH, can't remember) so the fact that it's in pill form shouldn't really make a difference cause the problem is decreased water retention by the kidneys.

i really don't find it to be an issue. (i don't drink a glass of water or anything when i take it, just enough to swallow it) for me, coffee goes in and out (TMI, i know) but i find wake-ups to do the trick.

 

[NilamPatel]

i like gatorade, i will bring that with me...i think someone on here said it makes you urinate less? why is that

 

[NilamPatel]

nevermind if i was smart enough to read page one i would have seen the replies...duh

 

[STIG]

redbull all the way! lol