Energy drinks are one of the most loved and widely consumed drinks today. They are well known for their ability to help increase energy and improve some brain functions. However, consuming too much of this beverage can lead to a number of potential health problems.
What is energy drink?
Energy drinks are widely promoted as a product that helps increase energy and improve mental alertness and physical activity. Next to multivitamins, energy drinks are the most popular dietary supplement consumed by teens and young adults. According to research, men aged 18 – 34 consume the most energy drinks, and nearly a third of teenagers aged 12 – 17 drink them regularly.
Most energy drinks have caffeine as their main ingredient, but may also contain other substances such as guarana, sugar, taurine, ginseng, B vitamins, yohimbe, bitter orange, carnitine and glucuronolactone.
What effects does energy drink have?
Although energy drinks are not a type of drink that experts consider highly safe for many aspects of health, it is still loved by many people thanks to some of the following uses: This:
Provides and increases energy for the body
The ingredients in energy drinks such as vitamins, minerals and sugar help provide a great source of energy for your body. Especially, on days when the weather is hot or your body is tired and lacking energy, you can add a can of energy drink to increase energy and provide water for the body.
Relieve fatigue and stress
Besides providing the body with necessary energy, consuming energy drinks also helps you relieve stress and fatigue. You get this because of the caffeine in energy drinks. This is a stimulant that can improve concentration levels and help you feel more refreshed and relaxed. In addition, energy drinks also help regain alertness and improve morale when working, thereby achieving high efficiency at work as well as other areas of life.
Is drinking energy drinks safe for your health?
Although drinking energy drinks can help you increase energy and improve memory, using them for a long time can lead to some health consequences, even causing addiction.
Consuming large amounts of caffeine in energy drinks causes serious heart and blood vessel problems, such as arrhythmia, increased heart rate and blood pressure. In addition, it can also harm the cardiovascular and nervous systems that are still developing in young children. Furthermore, high caffeine consumption is considered a factor linked to problems such as anxiety, difficulty sleeping, digestive disorders and dehydration. The guarana found in energy drinks also includes caffeine. Therefore, the addition of guarana may increase the total caffeine content of the drink.
Besides, the sugar content and sweeteners in energy drinks can also cause the body’s insulin levels to increase suddenly. If this condition occurs repeatedly, it will make your body resistant to insulin, causing insulin and blood sugar levels to increase, leading to the risk of type 2 diabetes.
For young children, drinking a lot of energy drinks can cause them to lose their appetite and feel full quickly, leading to their body not getting enough nutrients necessary for development. This is also the reason why children are susceptible to serious malnutrition.
In addition, drinking a lot of energy drinks also contributes to increasing the risk of tooth decay. The hard enamel layer that covers the outside of teeth can be worn away by the acidity of energy drinks. According to research, energy drinks can damage tooth enamel twice as much as other carbonated soft drinks, and can even cause serious damage to tooth enamel, making it impossible to recover. the same.
What should you keep in mind when using energy drinks?
To satisfy your “passion” for energy drinks without affecting your health too much, you need to note the following things:
Limit consuming too much energy drink at one time, consume less than 4 cans a day, equivalent to about 1000 ml.
People who are drunk should not use energy drinks, nor combine them with drinks containing other stimulants such as beer or wine.
Energy drinks should not be used as a substitute for soft drinks immediately after intense exercise or heavy work.
Energy drinks should not be used as a substitute for soft drinks immediately after intense exercise or heavy work.
Pregnant women, young children, the elderly, or people with chronic diseases should not consume energy drinks.
You should choose energy drink products that ensure quality, have a specific brand and have a valid shelf life. In addition, before drinking, you should carefully read the label on the product to limit possible side effects.
People who are allergic to caffeine should not consume energy drinks, as they contain large amounts of this stimulant.
You should also not drink energy drinks at night because the stimulants in these drinks can affect your sleep quality.
It cannot be denied that energy drinks always have positive benefits, however the harmful effects that this drink brings are not light. Therefore, you need to balance and use it properly to ensure the safety of the health of your loved ones and family.
