Energy Drinks: The Truth Inside the Can

Instead of coffee, many people are reaching elsewhere for means of getting that extra kick to keep them alert and focused. Energy drinks have taken over college campuses and the work place. What's the buzz all about and could drinking them cause negative heath effects?

Energy drinks are carbonated drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar with additional ingredients, such as B vitamins, amino acids, and herbal stimulants, such as guarana. Energy drinks are typically marketed to people between the ages of 18-30 as "energy gaining", which is why they have names that convey strength, power, and speed, such as: Red Bull, Rock Star, Full Throttle, Redline, and Monster. The names are only a marketing scheme to alter our own thoughts and feelings about our self. The marketing of energy drinks is genius though, with sales in 2005 in the U.S. alone being $3.5 billion and sky-rocketing to $6.6 billion in 2007.

The producers of energy drinks make many claims about the health effects of their products. They say that their products can increase physical endurance, improve reaction time, boost mental alertness and concentration, increase overall well being, stimulate metabolism, and improve stamina. The drinks are marketed as healthy, youthful, and hip. Many children, young adults, and adults are taken in by the excitement created around them, believing these claims to be true.

Sure, all of these effects of energy drinks are desirable but the fact that these effects are caused by high levels of caffeine and sugar is not so desirable, to say the least. The producers of energy drinks fail to mention the harmful effects that too much caffeine can cause the body and its addictive quality.

Some Signs of too Much Caffeine/ Caffeine Addiction:
-nervousness -headache -increased heart rate
-anxiety -upset stomach -irregular heartbeat
-irritability -GI irritation -elevated blood pressure
-agitation -heartburn -increased cholesterol
-tremors -diarrhea -nutritional deficiencies
-insomnia -fatigue -poor concentration
-depression -dizziness

You create an artificial adrenaline high by drinking caffeinated drinks, and then experience the withdrawal symptoms – which of course leads you to crave more caffeine. The cycle is continuous and difficult to break. If this sounds familiar try slowly weaning yourself from caffeinated beverages.

I am not saying to cut out all caffeine. A person can consume up to 300mg of caffeine a day, which is equivalent to 2-3 cups of coffee, and not be at risk for caffeine overload. However, the typical energy drink contains anywhere from 100mg/12 oz (Full Throttle) to 1200mg/ 12 oz (Powershot). Keep in mind that energy drinks range in sizes from 1 oz to 24 oz. The FDA requires commercial beverage manufacturers to list the presence of caffeine on their labels, but does not require them to list how much caffeine a product contains!

Along with the high levels of caffeine in energy drinks, a large amount of sugar comes into play. If you've ever wondered why energy drinks have a high calorie content, it's because of the sugar. Monster energy drink contains 200 calories per can, SoBe Adrenaline Rush 260 calories per can, and RedBull 110 calories. If you think about it, these are empty or wasted calories because they do not satisfy hunger. They may even cause you to become hungry! If sugar is not burned, it turns into stored energy aka fat. If a person consumes two or three energy drinks a day, that could be a total of 600 or more extra calories.

The bar and club scenes go hand in hand with energy drink consumption and alcohol. One of the most popular drinks being a RedBull-Vodka. The hype around mixing the two types of drinks is to be able to stay up later and party longer. However, the effects of mixing alcohol and energy drinks is harmful. Alcohol being a depressant, slows down the body's reactions while energy drinks are stimulants, speeding up the body's systems. These mixed signals are sent to your brain, confusing the Central Nervous System. Another myth revolving around mixing energy drinks and alcohol is that it will relieve a person of their hangover. Both alcohol and energy drinks are diuretics making the effects of dehydration worse, which will result in a nasty hangover the next day.