When you feel tired and run down from time to time, how do you react? Do you get more rest, ponder if your diet could be better, just trudge through, have a coffee (like your humble author), or reach for an energy drink? If you said yes, STOP!
Read on to find out the truth about energy drinks..
The prevalence of the energy drink in American society has grown exponentially and will probably continue to grow. The energy drink debate has valid pros and cons, and whether we individually think that they are good or bad there is one facet that cannot be debated – energy drinks are here to stay (in one form or another).
Energy Drinks = Mega-Bucks
In the last fifteen years the energy drink market has mushroomed into a ten-billion dollar a year industry and is showing no signs of slowing down. Is this necessarily a good thing?
For some people, the choice of having one of the myriad of energy drinks on the market to combat the feeling of burnout that can occur from time to time can be a viable option. In certain scenarios, the occasional energy drink is not a bad thing. It can give you a much-needed energy boost. And for those rushing to meet a deadline, energy drinks can lend a helpful hand to finish the last stretch. It has been shown to sharpen alertness and hone focus in times of need.
Good for Athletes?
There is also an athletic focus in energy drink usage. Athletes may use energy drinks to maximize training sessions. Some believe it can push physical limits to the extreme or help a person workout even longer than without an energy drink.
The energy drink debate is definitely a coin with two sides. As there are with so many other things, with positives there are negatives. On the other side of spectrum, the potential for abuse does exist and with abuse there can be health concerns.
Health Dangers
Using energy drinks as a consistent shortcut to getting enough rest is a straight shot to the body and mind breaking down. Excessive consumption of stimulants like an average energy drink can cause cardiovascular issues (such as irregular, rapid heartbeat) and increased blood pressure. The worst-case scenario would be heart failure.
Your old Favorite: Caffeine
Most energy drinks contain caffeine; high doses of the same can interfere with your sleep pattern and in some cases may even cause insomnia. The high content of caffeine in energy drinks can also cause anxiety and irritability. Though energy drinks promise to increase your metabolism rate, if you do not use up the sugar and calories gained from them by way of physical exercise, you may end up gaining weight.
Dehydration
Dehydration is another side effect that can be caused by excessive consumption of caffeine. In fact, since energy drinks do not provide electrolytes, they are likely to cause a “crash and burn” effect.
To sum up: on the energy drink issue, it is suggested that the consumer use good judgment and not go overboard with them. One a week is fine, five a day isn’t.