They "may pose danger to public health," warns the World Health Organization. Children "should not consume" them, cautions the American Academy of Pediatrics. The American Beverage Association stands by the safety of energy drinks, indicating that many of their ingredients are also found in common foods and have been rigorously studied for safety.
So what exactly are those ingredients, and how do they impact your body? Over the years, concerned experts have been getting closer to answering those questions, said Dr. Read More. Most energy drinks typically contain large amounts of caffeine; added sugars; vitamins, such as B vitamins ; and legal stimulants, such as guarana , a plant that grows in the Amazon; taurine , an amino acid that's naturally found in meat and fish; and L-carnitine , a substance in our bodies that helps turn fat into energy.
What's in your energy drink? Higgins, who has led multiple studies on energy drinks and health impacts, agreed. With the caffeine, sugar and stimulants, Higgins said that more research is needed to determine how those ingredients could interact to cause negative health effects.
We really don't know a lot about them," Higgins said of energy drinks. When energy drinks contained real radioactive energy. Rachel Hicks, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, issued a statement from the group that said many people around the world have safely consumed energy drinks for more than 25 years.
America's leading energy drink manufacturers voluntarily go beyond all federal requirements when it comes to responsible labeling and marketing practices, including displaying total caffeine content -- from all sources -- on their packages," the statement said.
Here's a look at how certain parts of your body may be affected after guzzling more than the recommended amount of energy drink, according to experts. After chugging an energy drink, you might notice your heart rate increase. Your rapidly beating heart could pose a health risk, as "energy drinks not only have been shown to raise stress levels, increase heart rate, increase blood pressure, they've also been shown to make the blood a little bit thicker ," Higgins said.
Study: Energy drinks can harm teens The impacts that energy drinks may have on your heart and cardiovascular system could be due to how the caffeine interacts with other ingredients, such as the taurine, Higgins said. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Related Articles. Article Summary. Co-authored by Chris M. Part 1. Stick to no more than one to two energy drinks per day. Setting a blanket limit on how many energy drinks you should have per day is therefore quite difficult.
For non-concentrated liquid energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, etc. Consider this to be an upper limit, though, and use energy drinks as little as possible as your safest choice. In cases where episodes of cardiac arrest or other dangerous health events have occurred, energy drink consumption has often been paired with athletic practice or games or similar vigorous exercise.
It should perhaps come as no surprise that the increasing popularity of energy drinks has led to the development of mixed alcoholic drinks that use Red Bull, etc. Some people contend that the energy drinks help counteract the intoxicating effects of the alcohol, allowing them to drink and party longer.
Part 2. Seek out brands that provide ingredient and nutritional information. In the U. This means, among other things, that the manufacturers do not have to disclose an ingredient list or nutrition facts on the beverage packaging. If you drink one of these beverages, then, you really have no idea what exactly you are putting into your body. Of course, it is up to you to actually read the labeling, decipher what exactly is in your drink and how much , and keep track of how much caffeine and other ingredients you are consuming per day.
Consult but don't blindly accept the drink manufacturer's recommendations. According to the website of the world's best known energy drink, practically any time is a good time to use their beverage. It also advises against consumption by the caffeine-sensitive, and limited intake by pregnant or nursing women and children.
It additionally provides a complete ingredient list. Find out as much information about the drink you wish to consume, and consult the manufacturer's recommendations, but use third-party, scientifically-grounded advice to determine if you should consume the drink and if so, how much. Keep tabs on your daily caffeine intake. In moderation, caffeine is safe for most people, but in high doses it can cause cardiac irregularities and other medical issues and, in extreme cases, death.
For reference, a typical cup of coffee 8 oz. Watch for sugar content and other ingredients. Choosing energy drinks with adequate labeling lets you keep track of more than your caffeine intake.
Many of these drinks, for instance, have high doses of sugar per serving. The health dangers of excessive daily sugar consumption have been well demonstrated, and avoiding added sugars is a specific recommendation in the newest U. Again, in moderation, these ingredients are generally safe to consume; excessive consumption may be another story.
Part 3. Talk to your doctor if you have underlying health conditions. One or two energy drinks per day is probably safe for the average healthy adult, but those with certain medical conditions should take additional precautions before using them.
In particular, if you have heart disease, another cardiac condition, or high blood pressure, you should consult your doctor first. The energy drinks you consume to wake you up make it harder for you to sleep at night, which leads to morning grogginess… and the need for another energy drink. Beyond that, the sugar in energy drinks also has habit-forming qualities. Energy drinks can even cause caffeine overdose, high blood pressure, narrow blood vessels, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and death.
While sugar definitely contributes to their fast-acting energy boost, caffeine is the most important ingredient in energy drinks—and a huge health risk. Your favorite energy drinks usually come in 16 to ounce cans, meaning one energy drink can have as much as mg of caffeine. Most experts recommend adults cap their daily caffeine intake at mg, although people with a higher caffeine tolerance might be able to get away with mg.
By the time you finish your second energy drink of the day, you could be consuming as much as 4. There can always be too much of a good thing, and in the case of caffeine, serious cases of caffeine overdose can be fatal.
Other severe symptoms of caffeine overdose include chest pain, confusion, trouble breathing, and convulsions. Milder cases are similar to the effects of dehydration—a known side-effect of energy drink consumption—like thirst, dizziness, and diarrhea. But once you start relying on energy drinks to get you through the day, your risk of caffeine O. Because a single can of energy drink can have more than your daily caffeine limit, even one drink can increase your blood pressure and put your cardiovascular health at risk.
Research has found that increases in the stress hormone norepinephrine due to heightened blood pressure can make healthy adults more likely to develop cardiovascular problems, which may explain the correlation between heart issues and energy drinks.
Some of the added ingredients in energy drinks, like carnitine and ginseng, are probably useless alongside their more powerful energy sources. Evidence on their effectiveness is shaky at best.
In the case of ginseng, some believe it actually decreases endurance. Still, when you pile all of these ingredients, they can have unexpected reactions.
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