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Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Energy drinks are intended to boost your energy, alertness and concentration. People of all ages consume them and they continue to grow in popularity. What Are Energy Drinks? A few of the most common ingredients other than caffeine are listed below: Sugar: Usually the main source of calories in energy drinks, although some do not contain sugar and are low-carb friendly.
B vitamins: Play an important role in converting the food you eat into energy your body can use. Amino acid derivatives: Examples are taurine and L-carnitine.
Both are naturally produced by the body and have roles in several biological processes. Herbal extracts: Guarana is likely included to add more caffeine, while ginseng may have positive effects on brain function 1.
Summary: Energy drinks are designed to increase energy and mental performance. People consume energy drinks for a variety of reasons.
Summary: Multiple studies have shown energy drinks can reduce mental fatigue and improve measures of brain function, such as memory, concentration and reaction time.
However, there are also concerns that energy drinks may contribute to heart problems. Summary: Several people have developed heart problems after consuming energy drinks, possibly due to drinking too much caffeine or mixing energy drinks with alcohol. Most energy drinks contain a sizable amount of sugar. Summary: People with diabetes should opt for low- or no-sugar versions of energy drinks to avoid harmful elevations in blood sugar. However, this presents a major public health concern. Summary: Energy drinks mixed with alcohol can leave you feeling less intoxicated while still experiencing alcohol-related impairments.
Summary: Because of the potential negative effects of caffeine in this population, leading health care organizations discourage the use of energy drinks in children and teenagers. Should Anyone Drink Energy Drinks? How Much Is Too Much? Most of the health concerns involving energy drinks center on their caffeine content. Pregnant and nursing women, children and teenagers should avoid energy drinks altogether.
Not everyone buys this. A study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition , for example, tested whether young consumers perceived energy-drink advertising as being targeted at people their age and younger. Researchers at the University of Waterloo randomly assigned over 2, Canadians ages 12 to 24 to view one of four online ads for Red Bull.
The University of Waterloo researchers compare energy-drink marketing practices with those of 20th-century cigarette companies. This is a problem, says Matt Fedoruk, the chief science officer at the U. Though his organization is perhaps best-known for its role in testing Olympic athletes for banned substances, it also promotes a positive youth-sports culture.
Fedoruk says it fields questions about energy drinks from athletes of all ages. Research has even produced recommended guidelines for ingestion prior to exercise. But these guidelines were developed for adults. Last year, John Higgins, the sports cardiologist, ran a small study in which healthy medical students downed a ounce can of Monster Energy. Dilation helps control blood flow, increasing circulation when necessary, including during exercise.
Higgins suspects that the combination of ingredients—the caffeine and other stimulants such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine, along with added vitamins and minerals—interferes with the endothelium, a thin layer of cells that control dilation. Further, a recent review by a group of Harvard researchers noted considerable limitations to the existing energy-drink literature.
Large longitudinal studies, meanwhile, require time and money. Higgins says the main reason there is no evidence of safety is that energy drinks are not classified by most countries as drugs. Anyone under 18 should avoid them entirely, he says.
This recommendation has been endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. Monster and Rockstar did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The amount of caffeine in energy drinks is typically half the amount found in a coffeehouse coffee and is no different from the caffeine found in other foods and beverages.
The cause of death: a caffeine-induced cardiac event causing a probable arrhythmia. After Cripe collapsed at school, a staff member who had previously worked as a nurse in a cardiac unit diagnosed a cardiac arrhythmia. When combined with alcohol, energy drinks can alter your intoxication levels, making you feel less intoxicated and energized while still experiencing signs of alcohol impairment, like slurred speech, poor coordination, and memory impairment.
The combination also increases the risks of binge drinking because the stimulating effects of energy drinks can mask the depressive effects of alcohol, causing you to drink more.
Drinkers ages 15 to 23 who mix alcohol with energy drinks are four times more likely to binge drink. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women in two hours. Binge drinking is associated with several health problems including:. Energy drinks are especially harmful to adolescents who are still growing and developing, and cannot handle the side effects of energy drinks, Moussa says.
According to the NCCIH energy drinks increase the risk of several health conditions for teens and young adults, including:. Energy drinks are unhealthy in nature. They can be safe if consumed in moderation by people without underlying health conditions, Popeck says, though there are better ways to get an energy boost.
Both Popeck and Moussa recommend limiting your consumption of energy drinks and instead increase energy and concentration with healthier alternatives, like:. Energy drinks are intended to give you a jolt of energy and increase focus and concentration, but they are loaded with caffeine and sugar, which can cause negative health effects when consumed excessively.
Limit your intake of energy drinks and focus instead on eating a nutritious diet and getting adequate sleep to improve concentration and energy levels. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. Women's Health. Primary Care.
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