Learn the Effects of Energy Drinks Before You Consume

November 16, 2009 | 160 views

A popular trend among the young is the use of energy drinks to achieve higher levels of stamina and endurance for a short period of time. As this generation tends to have a more robust and active lifestyle than others, the use of products to complement such a lifestyle seems inevitable. There is evidence that proves that energy drinks actually work to keep a person energized. However, there is also a negative side to consuming them.

Energy drinks are advertised by manufacturers as being stimulants. They often contain healthy sounding ingredients such as organic herbs like ginseng, and vitamins. But more importantly, these drinks contain high amounts of sugar and caffeine, which are the main sources of their stimulating effect. Sugar is a key source of energy in the biological functioning of any healthy person, while caffeine blocks chemicals in the brain that induce sleep or fatigue.

Studies have shown that, when consumed in moderation, energy drinks can result in a significant boost in mental and physical function, which is generally accepted as desirable. Exceeding moderate consumption can cause euphoria or elation. This is why energy drinks are a common product sold in entertainment venues such as nightclubs. Excess levels of consumption can also cause increased aggression and

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inability to sleep, which may be useful to individuals at their own discretion.

Consuming energy drinks boosts cognitive abilities temporarily. In one experiment, a glucose-based energy drink was given to eleven tired participants being tested in a driving simulator. Lane drifting and reaction times were measured for two hours post-treatment and showed significant improvement in those who consumed the energy drink.

On the downside, effects such as increased aggression and insomnia may adversely affect an individual, especially when the impact is underestimated, leading to unwanted behavior. Ironically, energy drinks do not function as thirst quenchers. To the contrary, they actually induce dehydration in the body as a result of the higher levels of caffeine and sugar present. This is exacerbated by the false assumption that energy drinks act to hydrate the body as drinking water would.

Caffeine is sometimes a necessary evil because it allows people to function beyond the level that is normal for them. However, when it is consumed in amounts larger than 400 mg, severe side effects may result that could lead to serious complications or death. These side effects include abnormal heart rhythms, stomach ulcers and uncontrollable muscle convulsions. Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant drug, so its continued consumption can lead to what is known as tolerance. As a result, users will find that they have to consume higher doses of caffeine in order to sustain the stimulating effects from previous experiences. In other words, energy drinks can be a form of addiction.

Documented cases have described the tragedy of athletes who have died as a direct result of the over-consumption of energy drinks. In 2000, an Irish athlete died from playing a basketball game after consuming 4 cans of a particular energy drink. This incident caused France and Denmark to ban the sale of this energy drink. It was also found to be unsuitable for pregnant women and children. The incident led to Britain conducting extensive investigations into the safety of energy drinks in general. It is important to note that most energy drinks share similar components.

Various manufacturers of energy drinks have been known to market their products mixed with alcohol, and this has created a whole new arena of debate. Energy drinks are stimulants, while alcohol has a depressive effect on consumers. Thus the effects of the energy drinks counteract and mask the alcohol depressant. The danger of such products is that the effects of alcohol can be severely diminished in the short-term but will eventually surface. Health officials fear this short-term period will increase the degree to which people will engage in reckless behavior as they fail to take into consideration the full effect of the alcohol-energy drink combination.

Inadequate knowledge of what energy drinks really are poses multiple dangers to individuals and society as a whole, and as the public discovers more about these hidden dangers, energy drinks are facing a lot of bad press. Ultimately, they are not suitable as a replacement for water as many people falsely believe and are, at best, a supplement to the regular intake of food and water.