Energy Drinks: Boost More Than Just Energy
Amber Roedel
Issue date: 9/9/05 Section: News
Energy drinks may cause serious long and short term effects. Drinks such as Adrenaline, Red Bull, and Venom have high doses of caffeine, some as much as 80mg per serving which doesn't sound like much but most energy drinks consist of two or more servings per can. Caffeine mixed with B vitamins, ginseng, guarana, and ephedrine can cause more than just a boost of energy. The ingredients in these drinks can cause irregular heart beats and boost blood pressure.
Another danger is consuming energy drinks with alcohol. When you mix these two it may not have a pretty outcome. Energy drinks are stimulants and alcohol is a depressant when you mix the two it has opposite effects on your brain and body. The stimulant makes it hard to tell how intoxicated you are, which may result in alcohol poisoning or vomiting. Both alcohol and Energy drinks cause dehydration as a result can prevent your body from breaking down the alcohol.
Dr. Mark Kantor, a professor at University of Maryland at College Park commented on the so called "magical" ingredients found in drinks like Red Bull. Kantor said, "It's really very silly, because [the company] is putting common vitamins that are widely found in food in this drink. There is no evidence that this product is going to do what it claims to do."
There is still a question do these drinks really boost energy or is it all in our heads?
Liz Applegate a sports nutritionist at the University of California at Davis said. "Frankly, they're nothing much more than caffeine in a can with a lot of sugar."
If that is the case why are spending two dollars a can?
Jackie Farnsworth the director of Salt Lake Community College Health and Wellness Services said, "The primary ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine, very high levels of caffeine. The problem with promoting them as an energy drink is that people assume they are healthy."
Farnsworth also said, "Caffeine is an addictive substance, and can cause substance addiction."
Another danger is consuming energy drinks with alcohol. When you mix these two it may not have a pretty outcome. Energy drinks are stimulants and alcohol is a depressant when you mix the two it has opposite effects on your brain and body. The stimulant makes it hard to tell how intoxicated you are, which may result in alcohol poisoning or vomiting. Both alcohol and Energy drinks cause dehydration as a result can prevent your body from breaking down the alcohol.
Dr. Mark Kantor, a professor at University of Maryland at College Park commented on the so called "magical" ingredients found in drinks like Red Bull. Kantor said, "It's really very silly, because [the company] is putting common vitamins that are widely found in food in this drink. There is no evidence that this product is going to do what it claims to do."
There is still a question do these drinks really boost energy or is it all in our heads?
Liz Applegate a sports nutritionist at the University of California at Davis said. "Frankly, they're nothing much more than caffeine in a can with a lot of sugar."
If that is the case why are spending two dollars a can?
Jackie Farnsworth the director of Salt Lake Community College Health and Wellness Services said, "The primary ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine, very high levels of caffeine. The problem with promoting them as an energy drink is that people assume they are healthy."
Farnsworth also said, "Caffeine is an addictive substance, and can cause substance addiction."
