Healthy Living

The cost of energy

Energy drinks are carbonated beverages that contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar with additional ingredients, such as B vitamins, amino acids and herbal stimulants. Many people like the boost of energy they provide and feel they are no more harmful than other drinks such as soda, coffee or tea. Yet, others feel that energy drinks are dangerous and should be controlled or banned.   My question is are they really that bad or are some people overreacting? Let’s break it down with some facts and you can decide for yourself. 

Most energy drinks contains about 80mg of caffeine per 8-oz. can. That is about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee and twice the caffeine as a cup of tea. However, other energy drinks contain several times this amount. The amount of caffeine in an energy drink isn't always indicated on the label. Also, common ingredients, such as guarana or yerba mate, boost the level of caffeine so it is difficult to gauge how much one is consuming.  It's common for typical energy drink consumers to drink large amounts quickly, which is not the case for coffee or tea drinkers who sip their drinks slowly. Still another concern is that many ingredients in energy drinks are believed to work synergistically with caffeine to boost its stimulant power. These ingredients include taurine, glucuronolactone and ginseng.

The effect of these ingredients varies from person to person. Some people who are sensitive to caffeine can experience anxiety, heart palpitations, irritability, difficulty sleeping and indigestion with relatively small amounts. Others do not have any negative side effects; they show increased alertness, more energy and improved mental and physical performance. Still, others feel positive for a few hours, and then feel more tired than they did before consuming the drink.

Studies have shown that energy drinks can lead to the consumption of excessive caffeine. Therefore, it is recommended that healthy adults drink no more than one can per day. Experts also advise children, pregnant or nursing women, or anyone who has any health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes to avoid energy drinks.

What do you think – are energy drinks harmful to your health?