Carbonated drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks are different types of drinks that consumers can find at any convenience store or big box store. Energy drinks are increasingly popular among athletes and others. According to research, men aged 18 – 34 consume the most energy drinks, and nearly a third of teenagers aged 12 – 17 drink them regularly. Advertisements for these products often feature images and information about their health-enhancing and muscle-strengthening benefits. So do energy drinks bring benefits as advertised? Calories will provide you with more information through this article!
What is energy drink?
Energy drinks appeared on the Western market 20 years after the company Red Bull GmbH began selling their energy drink products in Austria. An energy drink is a drink containing a stimulant, usually caffeine, marketed as a mental and physical stimulant. Products may or may not be carbonated and many also contain sugar or other sweeteners.
Energy drinks are distinguished from other soft drinks and sports drinks by their high caffeine content, a substance that can be addictive, is widely used and is generally recognized as safe. Most energy drinks contain about 80 mg of caffeine per 250ml can, some contain up to 300 mg. The same amount of tea contains about 30 mg and diluted coffee contains 90 mg of caffeine.
Energy drinks and health
Complex carbohydrates and water are nutrients that have been repeatedly shown to reduce fatigue during prolonged, dehydrating exercise. However, energy drinks do not appear to be formulated to maximize the incorporation of glucose or water into the bloodstream during exercise. One liter of Red Bull (that’s 4 cans) contains 4g of taurine (an amino acid), 2.4g of glucuronolactone, 0.32g of caffeine, 108g of carbohydrates and 0.14g of B vitamins.
It has been reported that the calorie content of beverages affects the rate of gastric emptying at rest and during exercise. A high rate of gastric emptying is important to ensure the bioavailability of the ingested beverage. Therefore, drinking drinks with a carbohydrate concentration of 8% or more (energy drinks have a concentration of 11%) can lead to slow absorption into the bloodstream and reduce the ability to deliver the ingredients to working muscles. contractility.
In addition, energy drinks contain caffeine, which helps increase strength during prolonged exercise. Caffeine consumption increases endurance performance by delaying central nervous system fatigue and may increase neuromuscular performance through direct effects on muscle, leading to increased energy expenditure during exercise. exercise program. At the same time, drinking a lot of energy drinks causes diuresis and leads to dehydration. During prolonged exercise, dehydration increases body temperature and heart rate, and increases the rate of exertion.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents not use energy drinks. The amount of caffeine contained in it can cause children to become dependent or addicted to caffeine. In addition, caffeine in energy drinks can affect the development and improvement of children’s hearts and brains.
Experts recommend that adolescents only consume a maximum of 100mg of caffeine/day, and children should consume less than 2.5mg/kg of body weight.
The Mayo Clinic and the European Food Safety Authority recommend that adults with normal health should not consume more than 400mg of caffeine per day. Thus, adults should not drink more than 2 cans of energy drinks a day, and limit other drinks containing caffeine so that the amount of caffeine consumed does not exceed recommendations. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use energy drinks.
Exceeding the recommended amount can lead to a caffeine overdose. However, each person has a different safe amount of caffeine consumption, because it depends on many factors such as age, weight and health status.
In general, energy drinks can provide alertness and increase strength during prolonged exercise. However, it also brings many harmful effects such as caffeine poisoning, addiction, weight gain, tooth decay, etc. Advice from experts is to avoid drinking energy drinks regularly (5-7 cans of energy drinks). /week) and avoid drinking it with alcohol; Regulatory standards for the sale of energy drinks should be strengthened in countries, especially for children. We need to learn carefully about the products when using them, don’t just believe in the manufacturer’s advertisements.
