The Dangers of Energy Drinks
by Samantha Wilkinson, MS, RDN, LD, Dolce Dietitian
This post was inspired by a very tragic story I saw on Facebook this morning. A young, teenage girl died while on vacation with her family in Mexico just hours after consuming multiple energy drinks. She consumed 2-3 energy drinks on the beach, already dehydrated from the heat of the day. And she isn’t the only case. There have been 18 energy-drink deaths in the last 4 years in teens. Unfortunately, there is little to no regulation on energy drinks, but more and more studies are finding that popular energy drinks increase heart contractions, as was the case with this young teen.
Although her cause of death is unknown at this time, she complained of chest pains after consuming them. Cardiologists are theorizing that the high levels of caffeine and sugar are the likely culprits, along with stimulants like guarana and taurine.
Below are the ingredients found in most energy drinks and some facts about each. Avoid this chemical mess and choose a natural stimulant like coffee or green tea instead.
Caffeine
Moderate caffeine consumption is not necessarily bad for you (in fact there are some reported benefits), but when mixed with other chemicals, or given in mega doses, it can be potentially dangerous.
-Most energy drinks contain 70-200mg
-An 8 oz cup of instant coffee has 40-80mg
-A can of Coke has 34mg (pretty bad when caramel-colored soda has way less)
-Most people experience sides effects at 400mg or more –so think about it — you’ve had 2-3 energy drinks in a day, that’s about 600mg of caffeine just from those drinks. Forget the coffee and tea you may have had between all that.
-Side effects: sleeplessness, heart palpitations, headaches, and nausea
Taurine
An amino acid that is found naturally in the body, however, the taurine in these drinks is processed.
-It helps regulate heartbeat, muscle contractions, and energy levels
-The body makes enough, so there is no need for supplementation
-The amount in energy drinks is too low for any therapeutic effect — so why take it? If your body is functioning normally, there is no need for the consumption of this amino acid. The body will excrete whatever it doesn’t need anyway.
Guarana
South American plant that is more caffeine-dense than Arabica coffee beans (3-4% vs. 1-2%)
-Same side effects as caffeine, but the effects can be felt sooner due to higher concentrations of caffeine
B Vitamins
These are found in food naturally! FOOD FIRST!
-Responsible for energy metabolism (not a bad thing, but the body better utilizes these vitamins from food)
-B vitamins are not easily absorbed when taken via supplement, therefore, the amounts in energy drinks will have little to no effect due to lack of absorption
Do not let someone tell you that energy drinks are a good source of B vitamins
Ginseng
Chemicals in ginseng are not natural at all (Remember our Earth-grown, wholesome mantra?)
-Such small doses in energy drinks that there is little to no benefit….so what’s the point?
L-Carnitine
Amino acid already produced in the body
-Safe doses: 2-6 grams
-Side effects: Vomiting, nausea, headache, diarrhea, stuffy nose, restlessness and difficulty sleeping
Sugar
Typical content is 21g to 34g per 8oz serving of energy drink – most cans are anywhere from 8 to 20oz
-Recommended daily intake is less than 30g
-Children/teens who consume energy drinks are at an increased risk for obesity and dental caries.
There’s nothing wrong with a little pick-me-up. But there are better ways to get a caffeine fix. Choose coffee or herbal teas instead. And be careful not to overdo it. Change up the temperatures and try iced coffee or iced green tea. You’ll also avoid the food coloring and additives that are in energy drinks, plus you can have more servings of coffee or tea and still not end up as over-caffeinated as you could become with these energy drinks.
Just keep reading those ingredient lists. There are so many other options other than energy drinks. Be smart, and definitely don’t let your kids/teens get their hands on these. There are far too many risks associated with teens and these drinks. Anything that will negatively affect my heart is automatically a 100% no-no for me! Why not let that rule be the same for you and your family?
