All of us are guilty of having one or two energy drinks during a busy day, right? You know what I’m talking about. You’ve got a big project coming up or you’ve underslept, you’re tired but you got to get your **** together and do some work. So, obviously, you go to the canteen to grab an energy drink to help boost your productivity. You feel the nice rush of energy coming and you manage to get your all work done just in time and all seems great. However, you (and I) don’t stop to think about if this rush of energy was the best option for our body. Let’s see the facts and decide.
Ingredients
All energy drinks basically contain the same ingredients just in different doses. It includes: Caffeine that stimulates brain function, increases alertness and concentration. Sugars and B Vitamins convert food into energy for your body. Amino Acids like Taurine and L-carnitine are naturally produced by the body and have roles in several biological processes. Herbal extracts such as Guarana is added to add more caffeine, while ginseng may have positive effects on brain function. Those are quite a lot of ingredients put into my usual little can of energy.
Positives
On one hand, energy drinks are linked to improved brain function. This is because some research shows they can indeed improve some brain functions such as memory, concentration, reaction time, mental alertness, and reduce mental fatigue. One study even showed that drinking just one (500ml) can of Red Bull increased both concentration and memory by 24%. God bless you, Red Bull!
Energy drinks also help people function when they are sleep deprived or tired in general. Studies have shown that they reduce sleepiness and can increase the quality of work.
Negatives
On the other hand, energy drinks may cause a decrease in sleep quality and confuse your body’s sleeping pattern. And I was wondering why I’m having problems sleeping! No wonder! Another problem that is linked to these drinks is heart problems. Over 20.000 trips to the ER in the U.S. are associated with abuse of energy drinks. Studies show that consuming energy drinks increases your blood pressure and heart rate while decreasing important blood vessel functions which lead to poor heart health.
High sugar intake from energy drinks causes blood sugar spikes and if over consumed could lead to problems such as diabetes. All problems associated with energy drinks are usually reinforced by a mix of energy drinks, additional caffeine, high sugar levels, and alcohol. Even though alcoholic beverages mixed with things such as Red Bull are a popular combination, it is extremely bad for your health.
Recommendation
Hence what can be taken from all of this information? That there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed. Occasionally drinking an energy drink will most definitely not harm you in any way (thank God), so don’t worry. However, it is good to keep in mind that the recommended adult consumption of caffeine daily should be no more than 400 mg. And the average energy drink contains 80 mg of caffeine for 237 ml. But there are bigger sized drinks based on what company you buy from. That is why it’s a good idea to take the time to check the caffeine dose on the label and make sure to not go overboard for that day. We all love a good Monster or Red Bull but what would you say, are they our friends or our foe?
Health is one of the most important things to us, let’s take care of our minds and bodies but giving them the proper care. Of course, you can still drink energy drinks and live a healthy life if you keep in mind the information you know now.
