We’ve all experienced foregoing sleep to catch up on work, study or party. And when we need to be alert and energized to power ourselves through the day (or night), we usually turn to energy drinks to provide us with that extra boost of energy.
But have you ever wondered how energy drinks affect or bodies? Are they even healthy? More importantly, are they even safe to drink?
According to some studies, certain ingredients found in energy drinks like B vitamins and ginseng are good for us. However, the very ingredients that’s responsible for energizing us have been found to have adverse effects on our bodies. Possible risks correlated with regular consumption of energy drinks include obesity, diabetes, miscarriages and tooth decay. Below are six facts about energy drinks which explains why we should be drinking them with care, if at all.
6) Energy drinks can kill.
Yes, you read that right. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 13 deaths (from 2009 to 2012) were caused by the energy drink 5-hour energy shots. Additionally, at that time, 30 life-threatening situations like convulsions and heart attacks were reportedly linked to the consumption of energy drinks. Countless additional information about the serious and adverse effects of energy drinks have been disclosed since the 2012 report.
5) They’re packed with overwhelmingly unhealthy doses of caffeine.
One of the main reasons why an energy drink is able to do its job really well is because it’s packed to the brim with caffeine. A regular cup of coffee contains around 150 milligrams of caffeine while an energy drink can have as much as 500 milligrams of caffeine. No wonder energy drinks are associated with cases of insomnia, headaches and nervousness, it’s literally pumping your body with a psychoactive drug.
4) They’re overloaded with sugar too.
Trying to lose weight? Then make sure that you stay away from energy drinks. There are energy drink brands sold on the market that contain as much as 62 grams of sugar which is equal to about a staggering 15 teaspoons of regular white sugar. The disturbingly high amounts of sugar found in energy drinks is also the reason why it’s packed with calories. In fact, one energy drink contains roughly the same amount of calorie content as one large bottle of soda.
3) Energy drinks are addictive.
Although an energy drink may seem like just one of those harmless “pick -me-up” beverages, regular consumption of energy drinks can actually lead to dependency. In fact it has been found that people who were used to drinking energy drinks exhibit classic withdrawal symptoms like fatigue and headaches if their consumption of the caffeine-loaded beverage has been restricted. Aside from suffering awful withdrawals, energy drink junkies also experience caffeine intoxication which makes them feel anxious, restless and nervous.
2) Energy drinks are bad for your heart.
According to a study done by the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, there have been reports of incidents involving teens suffering cardiac problems after consuming energy drinks. The study states that energy drinks increase the risk of cardiac arrest, especially in people with underlying heart problems. The risk is further increased when energy drinks are mixed with strenuous physical activity. The study determines that people with heart conditions are not advised to consume energy drinks before or after exercise.
1) Energy drinks and medicine are a bad combination.
Aside from alcohol, energy drinks should also never be consumed with medicine. The reason for this is that common energy drinks consists of ingredients that react negatively with prescribed medicines, specifically those taken for depression.
