Energy Drinks and What They Mean for Your Health

Energy drinks are nothing new, but they are becoming more popular all the time. 

Next to multivitamins, energy drinks are the most popular dietary supplement consumed by teenagers and young adults. Unfortunately, there is a serious lack of regulation around energy drinks AND they are marketed heavily towards adolescents. 

Are energy drinks a quick, easy, energy boost or more damaging to your body than heavy drinking? That is what the aim of this blog post is, to take a deeper look at popular energy drinks and what they are doing to your body when you drink them.

9 Ways Energy Drinks Can Affect Your Health

One of the most common and overlooked ways to become dehydrated is by drinking too many energy drinks, especially during high heat weather. Because energy drinks contain high amounts of caffeine, a diuretic, people risk dehydrating more quickly in the heat.

In addition to dehydration, energy drinks can also contribute to other health issues such as:

• • Increase blood pressure
  • Increase your risk for irregular heart rhythms
  • Impact your sleep
  • Cause weight gain
  • Cause tooth decay
  • Contribute to mental health problems
  • Increase diabetes risk
  • Cause kidney damage

One of the main selling points for energy drinks is that they give you the same alertness of coffee, but with fun flavors and colors. The difference is that an average cup of coffee is around 100mg of caffeine but most energy drinks hover around 100-450 mg of caffeine. They also usually contain artificial colors, flavors, and alternative sweeteners that can mess with gut health.

Seeing that energy drinks tend to be popular in the younger crowd, these kids are consuming anywhere from 1-3 times the amount of caffeine that the average adult drinks.

The other part of this that is worrisome is the amount of sugar put into energy drinks. In a single 16 oz can of an energy drink there can be anywhere from 25 to 62 grams of sugar, which is way over your recommended intake for an entire day. So not only are we looking at problems related to over consumption of caffeine, but now sugar which can contribute to obesity and diabetes.

Lack of regulation when it comes to energy drinks is definitely scary, especially for parents of children wanting to consume energy drinks. The caffeine content in popular energy drinks varies greatly as the energy drink industry is not regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration.  Not only can the caffeine content be of concern but if they are also adding additional ingredients and herbs at unregulated potencies this can be damaging to the heart and effect blood pressure in unwanted ways.

Ironically, some drinks do not even list the caffeine content on their label. Instead, they state that it’s part of their secret “proprietary blend.” This means that it is nearly impossible to know the true amount of caffeine in the energy drinks that you are consuming. Energy drink companies can choose to classify their product as a supplement in order to avoid the caffeine limits that are set in place.   

Large amounts of caffeine can lead to serious heart problems and can increase blood pressure levels. Overdoing your caffeine intake can also lead to anxiety, sleeping issues, dehydration, poor mental health, dental problems, and metabolic issues as well.

In fact, energy drink abuse among teens has caused increased risk of cardiac events, especially in those with underlying heart conditions. There were even some cases of energy drink products causing changes in heart rhythm among teens with healthy hearts. This risk increases when the child engages in sports or exercise.

“In small to moderate amounts, caffeine is good,” because it can boost your mood and help you feel more alert, says Dr. Robert Segal. “In large amounts, it leads to a decrease in the blood vessels’ ability to dilate. If they constrict and narrow, your blood pressure goes up. If blood vessels are constricted and blood can’t get through, it can cause heart attacks, brain attacks — aka strokes — and damage to other vital organs.“

While some studies have shown a temporary increase in physical performance and alertness, the majority of studies done have shown negative health effects. These include increased stress, aggressive behaviors like fighting, alcohol/cigarette abuse, increased blood pressure, increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, poor sleep quality, and stomach irritation. 

A greater danger is introduced if energy drinks are combined with alcohol, a trend largely seen in underage drinkers and associated with binge drinking.

Studies suggest that drinking this type of cocktail leads to greater alcohol intake than if just drinking alcohol alone. This may be because energy drinks increase alertness that masks the signs of inebriation, leading one to believe they can consume even more alcohol.

At the end of the day, consuming energy drinks can have negative health effects and it’s a good idea to read labels and be aware of ingredients and quantities. Not all energy drinks are bad and there are some situations where they may make sense to consume. The danger comes in when they are over consumed and underregulated.

Do you have a favorite natural energy drink that you love? Drop it in the comments below!

p.s. Just in case you are looking for a specific food, supplement, or any other wellness need, reach out to us here at 916-253-9276 and we would be happy to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

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If you can’t make it into the store, we’re always happy to deliver it to you because your health and happiness are our #1 priority! 

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