Energy drinks affect the health of users

By Becca Sandager
Cardinal Staff

When it is three in the afternoon and students are trying to make it through class, study for a test, finish a paper or just stay awake, they often look towards energy drinks to get that extra “kick.” Energy drinks like Red Bull, Full Throttle, Monster or 5-Hour Energy claim to boost mental alertness, enhance metabolism and increase endurance, but this quick fix is not entirely harmless.
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Most “energy” in energy drinks comes from two main ingredients: caffeine and sugar. Brown University states that the average soda holds approximately twenty-five to forty milligrams of caffeine, whereas most energy drinks double that. The dangers involved with too much caffeine are much more than just insomnia. In fact, Brown University says the main health risks associated with the large quantities of caffeine like those found in energy drinks are heart rate and blood pressure. The heart rate can accelerate so much that it may become irregular and even cause palpitations.

Caffeine and sugar also do not provide the necessary hydration; instead, they quickly dehydrate the body. This is dangerous when people exercise after drinking an energy drink. The website for the Natural Health & Organic Living Blog gives this example: People will sweat more burning off the extra energy and not realize they are becoming dehydrated; once the drink wears off the effects of dehydration can be staggering.

The sugar in energy drinks will also over-stimulate the nervous system, creating a sugar high, according to the HowStuffWorks website. Inevitably, though, a crash always follows. This cycle can weaken the immune system. Excess sugar can also lead to diabetes, obesity and low serotonin levels that actually cause more sugar cravings.

Some people will argue that the other supplements in energy drinks, like Ephedrine and B-vitamins, are good for the body, but the claims do not always match the evidence. The About Kids Health website gives evidence that Ephedrine is supposed to stimulate metabolism and burn fat, but it has many of the same risks as caffeine: anxiety and high heart rate and blood pressure. B-Vitamins also seem like a good idea, as they convert sugar to energy, but About Kids Health says that most energy drinks will have two to three times the supplement needed.

So while energy drinks seem like a great pick-me up, they can be loaded with too much sugar, which is bad for your waistline, and too much caffeine, which is bad for your heart.