
Energy drinks contain some forms of
vitamins and other chemicals which boosts energy for a short span. Many energy
drinks contain nutritional supplements such as Gingko Biloba, which is supposed
to enhance memory, Taurine, a natural amino acid that regulates heart-beats, the
Guarana seed, a natural stimulant and Ginseng, which has been used for
centuries for its numerous health benefits. On average, an 8.5 ounce can of an
energy booster contains at least 80 to 100mg of caffeine which is well more
than double the legal amount of caffeine permitted in a soft drink can. Some
very popular brands of energy drinks even contain more than 200mg of caffeine
in a single can!
Although a 250ml can of Red Bull (one of
the most popular brands around) contains 80mg of caffeine, which is about the
amount found in instant coffee, evidence suggests that youngsters binge on
several cans at a time.
While the products are often promoted as
relatively harmless drinks there are concerns that people who binge on energy
drinks could be risking their health. Studies have shown that consumption of
energy drinks over an extended time can result in problems such as elevated
blood pressure, increased anxiety levels, insomnia and heart palpitations.
These drinks have been banned in countries
such as Norway, Uruguay and Denmark, and restrictions placed on sales and
marketing in some other developed countries because of health concerns, this
have resulted in energy-drinks-producing companies shifting focus to developing
countries where neither such constraints exist nor the consumption of the
drinks regulated.
Some studies have also raise the alarm over
drinking too many energy drinks when doing exercise. Experts at Henry Ford
Hospital in Detroit, US, urged patients with existing heart problems to avoid
energy drinks as they increase the heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous
levels.
A study at the Cardiovascular Research
Centre in Adelaide, Australia, showed a single can of Sugar-free Red Bull could
be damaging to the heart within 60 minutes. They discovered that these drinks
thicken the blood to such a dangerous extent which compares to that found in
patients with heart disease.
Though these drinks have been said to be
effective by people who use them but the short and long term effects of energy
drinks are numerous:
·
The most common short term
effects of energy drinks include headache, insomnia, palpitation, increase in
blood pressure and restlessness.
·
The excessive sugar in energy
drinks can lead to weight gain and problems with insulin regulation due to
dangerous surges in this hormone when the drinks are consumed.
·
The abundance of caffeine that
is present in energy drinks has been shown to result in increased nervousness,
sleeplessness, irritability, rapid heartbeat and increased blood pressure. This
becomes even more of a problem when energy drinks are combined with alcohol,
which is the manner in which it is frequently consumed.
·
Caffeine is a diuretic. When
consumed in excessive amount, it triggers severe dehydration. Energy drinks
leaves a dehydrating effect on the body which makes it dangerous during
rigorous exercise where a lot of body water has already been lost. For this
reason, it is better to drink water during exercise instead of energy drinks.
·
Makers of energy drinks are
under no obligation to disclose the source of any natural supplement used in
the products. As a result, consumers have no way of knowing whether the herbs
and other natural supplements that are used have been contaminated by
pesticides, irradiated or contaminated in other manner. It is hard to know what
kind of toxin may be present in energy drinks.
·
The food supplements, Taurine, have
proven health benefits but the synthetic version used in the manufacture of
energy drinks have been known to cause illness such as high blood pressure,
heart disease and strokes.
·
Several cases of brain block
and impaired judgement have been reported among students, drivers and pilots
who consumed energy drinks in lieu of rest.
·
The long term effects of these
drinks include dangerous addiction to the use of these drinks and other
caffeine products, and other health problems whose association with the
consumption of energy drinks are still being researched. Some preliminary
studies suggested that there is a link between the consumption of high energy
drinks and adult-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus as these drinks are postulated
to burn-out the insulin-producing pancreatic cells from frequent stimulations.
Any
boost provided by energy drinks is often short lived and comes at a huge price
in terms of their harmful effect to the health of consumers. This health
concerns, though not always life-threatening but should not be overlooked
either.
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