Energy drinks have a bevy of teenage devotees, and are loved by frazzled moms, time-poor students and IT professionals everywhere. However, they are generally considered terrible for physiological health and are looked down upon by nutritionists. So, is there a place for the much-maligned energy drink in our culture? Is the real problem that people simply don't understand what their limits are? We sought to answer these challenging questions.
The primary ingredient in the many widely-available products that are marketed as energy drinks is caffeine. This has obvious physiological benefits such as increasing alertness and concentration. Some energy drinks can aid concentration by providing a boost of B12 and various other B vitamins.
Additionally, most energy drinks, provide the temporary satisfaction of a sugar rush direct to the brain. This increases the feeling of well-being, but then once the sugar spike wears off, this results in the afternoon slump or sugar crash.
Some energy drinks contain other stimulants such as ginseng, guarana, taurine, vitamins and green tea. Energy drinks that contain these latter ingredients, and lower sugar, are far more user-friendly. Still – only drink them in moderation.
As a guide, limit caffeine consumption to 200 to 300 milligrams per day. That's about two coffees per day or one large can of energy drink. Otherwise, in the short term you run the risk of an upset tummy, heart palpitations, nervousness, hyperactivity, insomnia and nausea. More worrying long-term effects can include high blood pressure, diabetes and heart attack.
Why People Choose to Boost
Getting energy in a can is too much of a tempting offer for some.
Athletes:
While they don't guzzle down energy drinks all the time, they would certainly get an instant (and well-deserved, we might add) pick-me-up from an energy drink after they completed a marathon.
Students pulling an all-nighter:
When students don't study for the entire semester and then cram a year's worth of academic teachings into one night - how else could they stay awake?
For wise consumers, who enjoy the sublime buzz of energy drinks once in a blue moon, the benefits can outweigh the disadvantages.
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