From EnergyShots sold in almost every gas station across the globe to Bawls, an energy drink that, no doubt, got at least a little of its publicity from its risque name, energy drinks have hit the market like a thunderstorm. These drinks are heavily marketed to a young demographic, in large partly because of the reputation college students have of staying up late, whether that's for studying or partying. Before you go and down something with synthetic ingredients you might not recognize and that's guaranteed to keep you awake for at least six hours, look into some of the downsides of imbibing.
Health
Have you ever felt just a little sick or lightheaded after drinking an energy drink? They tend to be overloaded with chemicals, not the least of which is a high dose of caffeine or taurine. These aren't bad for you in small amounts. In fact, as Katherine Zeratsky points out, taurine is a naturally occurring endogenous amino acid. Just like too much of a good thing, even taurine can overload your body when taken in high doses.
When you drink energy drinks on a regular basis, it becomes part of a routine and your body will expect that extra help in waking up. Then, once awake, your body doesn't naturally wind down because of these stimulants in your system. As Joris Verster, et al. point out, the combination of these two effects is going to destroy natural circadian rhythms, which can lead to abnormal sleep patterns. Unfortunately, abnormal sleeping patterns are strongly correlated with depression. Getting a good night's sleep is very important, especially in young adults
Most energy drinks have all the same side effects of soda, and then some. But these soda-like effects include loading up on empty carbohydrates from the high amounts of sugar or high fructose corn syrup in them.
As Russell Goldman writes, the popular trend of mixing energy drinks with alcohol has been blamed for some young adult deaths. Normally, when one gets drunk to the point of severe alcohol poisoning, the body gets exhausted and might even pass out. Combining alcohol with energy drinks, however, doesn't allow the body to get tired and sleep off the toxic effects, which can lead a person to continue to drink. As the US Government warns, alcohol poisoning can eventually kill a person.
Productivity
It's always easier to focus when a person is well-rested and nothing can makes a good substitute for a good night of sleep. Regardless of how awake a person might feel after drinking an energy drink, the effects are, in part, solely psychological. Quality plummets when a person is trying to be productive on little sleep. While energy drinks might keep you awake, they don't increase the quality a person is able to achieve. Perhaps they increase just the quantity a person can produce because of the hours a person can spend doing something. Quantity, however, isn't quality.
Economics
Energy drinks are expensive! For 9.3 ounces, one might spend up to $4. That's outrageous. That much money could buy twice as much volume in coffee, even if you go to a trendy, overpriced cafe.
Energy drinks can be enjoyable and tasty, but no one should come to rely on them as a regular dietary ingredient and they don't make up for a lack of sleep.
Sources:
- Teen's Death Again Spotlights Four Loko Danger, Russell Goldman, ABC news
- Facts about alcohol poisoning, US Government
- Sleep and Quality of Life in Clinical Medicine, by Joris C. Verster, S. R. Pandi-Perumal, David L. Streiner
- Taurine in energy drinks: What is it?, Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Sarah Parrish - Sarah Parrish began writing when she was fifteen, publishing articles in a newsletter called Getting Ready for at-risk youth. She wrote on ...
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