Energy Drinks and their effect on Health

Energy drinks are fast gaining popularity with a new brand being introduced in the market every other week. Energy drinks are called so because they provide an instantaneous improvement in stamina, energy levels, alertness and ability to focus due to caffeine, which is one of the primary ingredients of these energy drinks. As these drinks are FDA approved one may assume that these energy drinks are rather safe for health. Caffeine intake of up to 400 mg per day which is around four cups of coffee is considered as safe for an adult but the same may not be true for children and people who are suffering from some or other medical condition. Also many a time these energy drinks are abused with them being used to stay awake during nights for partying purposes or are mixed with alcohol for consumption. Such irresponsible usage of energy drinks may lead to real adverse effect on health.

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Constituents of Energy Drinks
Other than caffeine there are many other ingredients in energy drinks whose effect on health may also be not very positive. Although consumption in moderate levels is considered harmless but jury is still out on the long term effects of consumption of energy drinks. The primary ingredients in energy drinks are caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone and sugar. Caffeine at moderate levels can provide positive stimulant effects but overconsumption of the same can lead to issues such as irritability, headaches, dizziness, digestive disorders and difficulty falling asleep. Taurine is an amino acid that is found naturally in the body and also in many food articles. Glucuronolactone as per manufacturers of energy drinks help eliminate the toxins related to the physical efforts.

Energy Drinks and their Effect on Health
It is advisable only to consume around 200 mg of caffeine per day thus excessive consumption of energy drinks can have harmful impact on health. Energy drinks are not recommended for children under 16 years of age with even statutory warning available on the packaging of many of these drinks. But unfortunately these drinks are fairly popular amongst adolescents and teenagers and even children. It has been scientifically proved that consumption of energy drinks can alter heart rate and blood pressure thus they are not recommended for people suffering from cardiovascular disorders or hypertension. In addition, energy drinks are also not recommended for pregnant women and people with increased sensitivity to caffeine. Energy drinks are highly concentrated and acidic in nature thus they promote dehydration; also high concentration of sugar in these drinks can lead to digestive disorders. Avoid consumption of energy drinks before going to bed as these drinks contain caffeine, also drink ample amount of water which will help avoid dehydration.

Myths and Facts related to Energy Drinks
The primary myth associated with energy drinks is that it enhances performance, be it in sports or otherwise. But till date no study or research has been able to authenticate this claim. Energy drinks are no longer classified as doping products which they initially were. Since 2004, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has removed energy drinks from the list of banned substances. Energy drinks don’t have any nutritional value and also consumption of energy drinks during exercise routine can be harmful for health thus many health professionals advice against the same. Same amount of energy drinks may have varied effect on different individuals; some may be able to stay awake all night long while some other may feel the effects only for a few hours.

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