Are energy drinks bad for you? Energy drinks often deliver that perfect punch of energy you need to get you through your day. Americans consume roughly 29 billion gallons of energy drinks each year; that’s about 79.5 million gallons per day! The likes of 5-Hour Energy, Red Bull, and Monster are fast favorites to get that instant caffeine fix. The question is, can you drink them often?
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Are They Safe?
Are energy drinks bad for you? The Huffington Post said consuming an energy drink occasionally doesn’t harm the average person. The risks increase when you drink excessive amounts. Most of them offer a double whammy when it comes to health.
- They are acidic.
- They contain excessive amounts of caffeine.
Granted, the caffeine count is what provides the burst of energy to help you power through your day. University Health News, though, revealed it can lead to a wide range of health problems. These include the following:
- Anxiety
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Dehydration
- Digestive problems
- Headaches
- Heart palpitations
- High blood pressure
- Insomnia
- Rapid heartbeat
- Seizures
- Sleep-pattern disruptions
- Vomiting
Some cases can even lead to death. It doesn’t mean you should never consume energy drinks; avoid drinking them excessively, though.
How Big Is the Problem with Energy Drinks?
The National Center for Complementary Health and Integrative Health (part of the National Institutes of Health) said the number of emergency department visits due to energy drinks has doubled in recent years. In 2011, 1 in every 10 of these visits resulted in inpatient hospitalization.
Let’s Talk Caffeine
Are energy drinks bad for you? Not necessarily. For one, caffeine can be a beautiful thing – in small doses. It helps you get up in the morning. It can get you through the mid-afternoon slump at work. For some people, it feels like the only thing that keeps them going throughout the day.
In excessive doses, though, it can increase your heart rate, elevate blood pressure, and even cause changes in your heart’s electrical activity.
Most energy drinks and sodas in the market today contain synthetic caffeine. It can provide a much faster jolt of energy. On the other hand, it can lead to an even faster crash once that burst wears off.
Natural caffeine offers health benefits because of its antioxidant properties. In fact, several studies indicated it can help improve physical endurance, mental alertness, and reaction times.
Are energy drinks bad for you? It depends on the product. It’s important to look for those with natural caffeine. It doesn’t have the negative and dangerous side effects compared to synthetic caffeine.
Check Out Other Options
You can get the same benefits from energy drinks without consuming synthetic caffeine. You can consider a pre-workout energy supplement. It can have natural flavors, blends, and colors, without the acidity and other issues related to synthetic caffeine. It may also be non-GMO and contain natural caffeine.
This supplement can enhance your performance. Other benefits include the following:
- Sustained energy (no crash and burn)
- Superior mental focus
- Increased endurance
If you’ve been consuming energy drinks, you may reduce the effects with a protein-based supplement. It can improve digestion, lower inflammation, and strengthen the immune system.
Being careful with supplements is a must. Evertrain breaks down the ingredients on the back of the bottle with the help of Dr. Dustin DePanicis:
Are energy drinks bad for you? They can be when you take a lot of them. In reality, when your focus is on improving health and performance, the last thing you want to do is consume energy drinks that put both of those things at risk. There are healthy alternatives that provide the benefits you seek from energy drinks without the dangers.
Do you think energy drinks are bad for you? Share your thoughts below!
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