With hectic lifestyles, and grueling academic schedules, enticements for stay awake remedies and, boost energy and metabolism promises, are difficult to ignore. We live in a society of "instant gratification" addicts, who give little thought to the possible long term effects of these pick me up mysteries.1Energy drinks have quickly topped the charts, as one of the fastest growing and, popular drinks in the United States today. They promise to make you awake, more focused and rejuvenated. Although these drinks can reduce grogginess and make you feel more alert. It may be at a cost to your health. They can cause significant side effects and there are insufficient studies to show that they are safe.
Most energy drinks contain some combination of caffeine, B vitamins, sugar and herbs.
This is the main ingredient that puts the "energy" in energy drinks. The concern here is the amount of caffeine that is put in energy drinks. Energy drinks can have anywhere from 80 to 500 mg per serving.
Up to 200 mg of caffeine a day is considered safe.
- Many of these drinks not only have very high caffeine levels, but they also combine them with other herbs that contain caffeine, such as guarana and yerba mate. Plus, keep in mind there can be multiple servings in one bottle or can, even in the small containers.
- In higher doses, caffeine can have many adverse reactions. In excess, caffeine can cause insomnia, jitteriness, palpitations, rapid heart rate and elevated blood pressure. Over 200 mg of caffeine can cause blood pressure to spike by up to 14 points. Because of this, people with high blood pressure should avoid consuming energy beverages altogether. Caffeine also can cause dehydration because it has a diuretic effect.
- People can build a tolerance to caffeine as well. Over time, you may find yourself needing more doses throughout the day to achieve the same effect.
This group of 8 vitamins plays a variety of roles in cell metabolism. Some of these drinks have massive amounts of B vitamins.
But, here’s the thing: B vitamins will not boost your energy unless you are deficient in them. Most of us get all the B vitamins we could possibly need in our diets.
The majority of B vitamins are not toxic when consumed in excess because they are water soluble and any excess is just excreted in the urine. That is except for two of them:
- Too much vitamin B3 (niacin) can cause a flushing of the skin, stomach upset, blurred vision or liver inflammation. Some drinks have 150% more than the maximum recommended dose of 35 mg daily.
- Too much B6 (a dose greater than 500mg/day) can cause nerve damage, tingling and numbness in arms and legs.
As mentioned earlier, there are commonly used herbs that are often found in energy drinks. These include:
Guaraná
- Guaraná is a small round red fruit native to the Amazon. One guaraná seed has twice the caffeine of a coffee bean, so it imparts the increased alertness with all of the potential side effects of caffeine listed earlier.
- Extracted from the root of the ginseng plant, ginseng has been found in studies to boost brain power – but you would need at least 200 mg to reap this benefit, which most drinks don’t contain. A word of caution: Ginseng has been shown to interact with blood-thinning drugs, potentially altering their effectiveness.
- One serving of an energy drink can contain as much as 14 teaspoons of sugar! That’s more than double. This much sugar spikes our blood glucose levels which is what gives us that energy boost. When those levels drop, they come crashing down and we crash as well. Additionally, this temporary spike is not worth the weight gain that comes with excess sugar consumption.
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2The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits the caffeine content in soda to 65 mg per 12 ounces, but energy drinks are not regulated under any FDA standards. Additionally, many of the herbs, vitamins, and minerals frequently used in energy drinks have no set recommended value by any reputable agency in America.
Some of these common ingredients in energy drinks can include: guarana, ginseng, as mentioned above, taurine, L-carnitine, inositol, choline, and sugars. Some drinks may also add creatine, gingko biloba, milk thistle, and vitamins, especially the B vitamins.
Apart from sugars and vitamins, none of these ingredients have daily recommended values, and many of these ingredients have not been deemed truly safe for public consumption. Because these are not regulated by the FDA, energy drink manufacturers are able to make claims of the efficacy of various ingredients in increasing the energy of a person who consumes their product. Even if you wanted to investigate the validity of a manufacturer’s claim, there is very little unbiased, scholarly research to help you.
Creatine: Another ingredient found in some energy drinks, is used in some muscle-building programs. However, in excessive dosages or combined with other energy-drink ingredients, Creatine has been associated with muscle cramps, gastrointestinal distress, electrolyte imbalance, and dehydration.
Taurine: The physical benefits of , touted by energy drink manufacturers, have been deemed “scientifically doubtful” by researchers.
Vitamins and minerals: Are an essential part of any diet, and as vegetarians and vegans, many of us try to get extra doses of some (like B12). But doctors warn that too much of a good thing will have consequences. Vitamins B6 and B12, in large doses, have been found to contribute to a variety of unpleasant effects: insomnia; hyperthyroid; and the degeneration of vital organs, such as the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.
Perhaps even more frightening is the lack of reputable information on other ingredients of energy drinks. A search for scholarly, unbiased material on the effects of such ingredients as choline, rhodiola, rosea, crenulata, and astragalus turns up no true evidence of the effectiveness, safety, or hazards of these materials at the doses present in energy drinks.
Though no conclusive proof is available directly linking the energy drinks to serious injury and death, some researchers have recently provided insight into the matter:
- Heart damage has been shown to result from cases of major caffeine overdose, which could contribute to death or serious injury.
- Researchers from the University of Wisconsin examined the combination of caffeine and taurine, discovering the two together contributed to a marked increase in blood pressure and bradycardia (a potentially dangerous decrease in heart rate).
- Doctors in Phoenix, Arizona observed four patients experience and survive new-onset seizures after consuming energy drinks with caffeine, taurine, and guarana. Once the patients stopped all energy drink consumption, the seizures ceased as well.
At best, it’s borrowed energy!2
2See more at: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/energy-drinks/#sthash.8p436A2s.dpuf
3This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed the 13th death related to 5-hour Energy (a highly-caffeinated drink). Additionally, there may be more deaths related to the consumption of other “energy” such as the popular “Monster” drinks.
The lethal dose of caffeine is equivalent to 25 cups of coffee. Therefore, most likely, deaths are related to pre-existing conditions or abusing these beverages beyond their own labeled guidelines. For example, heart palpitations (beat irregularities) in a recent death were thought to be due to caffeine –sensitive damaged blood vessels around the heart of a girl with a genetic disorder called Ehlers -Danlos syndrome.
Besides hypersensitivity to normal levels of caffeine, rapid ingestion of large amounts of caffeine can be particularly stressful for the body, and toxicity is very possible. Additionally, other stimulants are placed in these non-FDA regulated beverages.3
http://healthblog.dallasnews.com/2012/11/the-inconvenient-truths-about-energy-drinks.html/
These are the facts, regarding today's energy drinks. So now that you know, and are adequately informed; Make the best decision for you!
