Why Energy Drinks aren’t Safe

Have you ever read the ingredients list and nutrition facts for popular energy drinks? I am betting that most of you don’t even know what half of those ingredients are, because if you did… you wouldn’t even consider drinking an energy drink again.

What’s in Energy Drinks?

Here’s a list of common ingredients used in popular energy drinks

Inositol – This has been known to raise phosphorus levels, which results in calcium deficiency if taken in excess.

Niacin/Niacinamide – These are forms of vitamin B3, which you actually don’t want to take too much of since it can cause some serious health concerns (such as vomiting and diarrhea).

Caffeine – This is a common drug which studies have proven that it raises your heart rate and blood pressure. This can be extremely dangerous for those who have high blood pressure already, and for those who drink energy drinks right before exercise, since it will raise your heart rate to dangerously high levels. Caffeine has also been linked to diabetes and may increase the risk of miscarriage. As many of you already know (first hand?!), caffeine is a very addictive drug, and has some horrible side effects when you try to stop consuming it (headache, anyone?). It’s best that you stop and don’t start up again.

Taurine – This is actually a type of amino acid, which sounds like it should be healthy right? Problem is, energy drinks use a synthetic type of taurine and is used in such high concentrations. Studies have shown that Taurine had negative side effects when mixed with caffeine, which is a main ingredient found in energy drinks.

Sodium Citrate – This is a common preservative that is used in soft drinks.

Sugar,Glucose, Sucrose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Acesulfame K and Aspartame – There are a lot of different names for “sugar” or “artificial sweetener”, isn’t there? All forms of sugar that are in energy drinks (including the “sugar-free” kind) are extremely bad for your health, especially when mixed in with caffeine and all of the other ingredients.

Glucuronic Acid (Glucuronolactone) – This is a type of carbohydrate that can be naturally produced in your body. Of course, the Glucuonic Acid/Glucuronolactone in energy drinks isn’t natural by any means. There are even some undocumented reports stating that this drug was given to soldiers in the Vietnam War and was linked to brain tumors – but there are no recent studies or scientific evidence (yet) that proves this side effect is legit. 

Why Energy Drinks are Dangerous

Drinking energy drinks is a vicious cycle. First, when you drink the energy drinks – which are full of sugar, caffeine, gluten, and other harmful ingredients – your body ends up releasing something called opiates. If you stop drinking the energy drinks,  your body has very strong cravings for them telling your brain that you need them more. Then the vicious cycle starts again when you continue to drink the energy drink. The strong cravings and feelings of extreme exhaustion is not a sign that your body needs the energy drink. It’s a sign that your body has created a dependency on it, much like drug abuse. Just because energy drinks are legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe for you to drink it.

Have you ever heard of caffeine intoxication? It’s what happens when someone overdoses on caffeine, which is easy to do with energy drinks since they contain five times the amount of caffeine than a regular cup of coffee. Too much caffeine can cause insomnia, rapid heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, tremors, and in rare cases…death.

Healthy Alternatives to Boost your Energy Levels

There are plenty of healthy ways to boost your energy throughout the day to help you stay away through boring meetings or just have the energy to walk up five flights of stairs because the elevator broke. Whatever your reasons to justifying an energy drink in the past, here’s some healthy ways you can boost your energy levels without harming yourself.

Sleep – Get a good night’s rest. I know that this may seem like a “no brainer”, but it’s best to prevent exhaustion than to try to overcome it.

Eat Small Meals – I suggest avoiding heavy meals, or eating too much in just one sitting. Do you notice that you feel most tired after a really big meal, perhaps one that involved a huge meal or sugary dessert? When you eat a lot of food in one sitting, especially if there is high starch or sugar foods, it can create a sugar crash that will leave you feeling lethargic afterwards. Eat 3 small meals and eat snacks in between meals, for a total of six meals a day. By doing this, you won’t over eat and you will be constantly giving your brain and body the energy it needs to function throughout the day.

Eat an Apple – Did you know that it has been shown that an apple is more effective at keeping you awake than a regular cup of coffee? It’s also a lot healthier for you and doesn’t have any dangerous side effects like caffeine does. An apple a day…keeps you awake, apparently!

Drink Water with Citrus – You’d be amazed at how awake and refreshed you can be by drinking a glass of cool water with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon or lime in it. The vitamin C in the citrus fruit is a natural way to boost your energy levels.

Exercise – Don’t have energy to exercise? You’d be surprised to hear that exercise will actually give you more energy! Start small, by just going on a five minute walk or go up and down the stairs a couple of times. The blood pumping through your body will give you a natural boost of energy that will help you get through your day.

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Image Credit: Reason.com