Energy drinks are marketed as a stimulant to boost energy, improve athletic performance, or improve concentration and are typically packaged in bottles and cans. They are the fastest growing U.S. beverage market with about one-third of teens and young adults regularly consuming them. Sales of energy drinks in the U.S. were $3.5 billion in 2005, according to Beverage Digest. In 2009, sales rose to $4 billion. This year, sales are expected to top a whopping $9 billion dollars!
The consumption of energy drinks began in Asia and Europe long before reaching the U.S. The very first "energy" drink to reach the U.S. did so in 1985 but wasn't really an energy drink at all. It was more of a soft drink called "Jolt Cola". The "jolt" in the cola was a lot of added sugar and caffeine. Energy drinks, as we know them today, were introduced to the U.S. in 1997 by the company "Red Bull". Today, there are hundreds of energy drinks on the U.S. market.
But what is in an energy drink? MOST energy drinks are carbonated and contain large amounts of two ingredients to provide energy: CAFFEINE and SUGAR. Many of them also contain other ingredients such as B vitamins, amino acids (like L-carnitine and taurine), herbal stimulants such as guarana, the herb ginseng, the ingredient ginkgo biloba, and creatine.
TYPICAL energy drinks provide only a TEMPORARY boost to energy--They spike your blood sugar (giving you a feeling of quick energy) but lead to an energy crash soon after that leaves you feeling drained. The burst of energy comes primarily from the added sugar and caffeine. This short-lived boost can also be accompanied by other problems. Energy drinks that contain too much sugar may contribute to weight gain — and too much caffeine can lead to nervousness, irritability, insomnia, rapid heart beat, and increased blood pressure.
Regarding sugar, an energy drink can contain 68 to 132 calories of sugar in just an 8 oz can. And many cans hold more than 8 oz. Since the RDA for sugar is around 100 calories for women and 150 calories for men, many energy drinks contain more than enough sugar for you to eat in an entire day.
Regarding caffeine, an energy drink can contain up to 80 milligrams of caffeine (which is about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee and twice the caffeine of a cup of tea). Other energy drinks contain several times this amount. The amount of caffeine in an energy drink isn't always indicated on the label, so it is difficult to gauge how much one is consuming. By comparison, a 2006 study found that the average 12-ounce soda contains 18 to 48 mg of caffeine.
With that much added sugar and caffeine, are energy drinks healthy?
If you adhere to the RDA for sugar of around 100 calories for women and 150 calories for men, you are most likely fine.
With regard to caffeine, some are sensitive to it and experience anxiety, palpitations, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and indigestion with relatively small amounts. Large amounts of caffeine in people that aren't as sensitive can also cause heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death. Those who are sensitive to caffeine should try to avoid it completely. And those with heart conditions or blood pressure issues should avoid large amounts of caffeine, because it is a stimulant. But really, everybody should try to avoid large amounts of caffeine.
Also be aware that large amounts of caffeine can adrenal exhaustion. Caffeine forces adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline (a hormone that causes alertness). Energy drinks help to artificially stimulate adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline--giving you that rush and feeling of alertness. If your body is constantly secreting adrenaline and not using it, your adrenal glands will eventually become exhausted. That can lead to fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbance, irritability, mood swings and depression.
Also keep in mind that energy drinks can become addictive. The human body can easily develop tolerance to the drugs found in these drinks, leading to a greater consumption to attain the same effect.
Because very little research has been done on the long-term health effects of the overuse of ingredients in energy drinks, many health experts advise pregnant women and young children to avoid them.
If you do consume energy drinks, do so in moderation and seek out the healthiest ones. If you find yourself consistently fatigued or rundown, you should consider a healthier way to boost your energy. Get adequate sleep, include physical activity in your daily routine, eat a healthy diet, supplement with a pharmaceutical-grade multivitamin, and drink more water--at least 10 eight-ounce glasses a day. If these strategies don't seem to help, consult your doctor. Sometimes fatigue is a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as hypothyroidism or anemia.
When considering a healthy energy drink, pay attention to these criteria:
* Most energy drinks will spike your blood sugar and then cause a sugar crash. Ensure the one you choose is low-glycemic for sustained energy.
* Find an energy drink that contains NO MORE THAN 100 calories of sugar (or 25 grams) per can.
* Seek out an energy drink that DOESN'T USE artificial ingredients.
* Seek out an energy drink that DOES INCLUDE vitamins B1, B2, and B6.
* DO NOT CONSUME energy drinks during exercise--Energy drinks are not sports drinks like Gatorade, which are consumed to help people stay hydrated during exercise. Sports drinks also provide carbohydrates in the form of sugar and electrolytes that may be lost through perspiration. The caffeine in energy drinks acts as a diuretic and promotes dehydration.
* DO NOT MIX energy drinks with alcohol--The mixing of energy drinks with alcohol has become popular because energy drinks help to reduce the depressant effects of alcohol while enhancing the "buzz". But while people may not feel impaired, their blood alcohol level is still high. This may lead to the consumption of larger amounts of alcohol as a result. The caffeine in energy drinks is also dehydrating, which may slow the body's ability to metabolize alcohol. And because both alcohol and energy drinks dehydrate you, when combined they can cause your fluid level to drop to dangerous levels.
* DO NOT CONSUME more than one energy drink per day.
* Unlike hot coffee or tea, which is usually sipped slowly, it's common for typical energy drink consumers to drink large amounts quickly. Watch your level of consumption.
Hopefully, you have attained a better understanding of energy drinks. Armed with this new knowledge, I encourage you to go out and find a healthy energy drink. I would love to hear about the energy drink you choose. If you would like help in choosing an energy drink, send me a message. There are hundreds of energy drinks on the market, and you may consider it a daunting task to research all of them. I have already done the research.
As always, feel free to ask questions, and don't forget to send me a message with the energy drink you chose. You can post a comment under the post or send me a message via the "Contact Me" tab at the top of my page.
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