In today’s world, many of us are always on the go and more often than not, living this type of lifestyle can be exhausting. For many people, they remedy their feelings of exhaustion by consuming energy drinks. Energy drinks have become quite popular among teenagers and adults since they offer a quick and easy way to stay alert and focused throughout the day. However, the quick pick me up doesn’t come without a price as energy drinks can seriously affect a person’s health. Many don’t realize the dangers of energy drinks, which is unfortunate as drinks such as Monster and Red Bull have become increasingly popular, especially with the younger crowd. Unfortunately, energy drinks are everywhere, and they are easy to purchase, despite the potentially dangerous side effects.
Filled with caffeine and heavily sweetened, energy drinks typically contain artificial flavors, artificial coloring, as well as other ingredients such as guarana, yerba mate, and taurine. Unfortunately, in many cases, preservatives are heavily used, and many brands cram all kinds of ingredients into their products. As a result, energy drink-related hospital visits have become common, and there have even been several deaths linked to energy drinks. To learn more about the health ramifications, check out some of the dangers of energy drinks.
Lack of sleep/insomnia: While energy drinks keep people awake, if they are abused, it can cause significant disruptions in their sleep patterns, making it difficult to fall asleep. Insomnia can be dangerous as it can impair a person, making it difficult to concentrate and perform needed daily tasks (i.e., drive).
Medication interactions: Drinking energy drinks packed with ingredients can be dangerous if you are on prescription medication. Some of the ingredients may interact with a person’s prescription medication. Interactions can cancel out the effects of a medication or worse, cause a reaction that could be deadly.
Diabetes: Most energy drinks are sweet, and are very high in sugar as a result. However, because energy drinks have a high sugar content, if consumed often enough the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas can eventually wear out, leading to type 2 diabetes.
High-blood pressure: Since energy drinks are loaded with caffeine, this can elevate a person’s blood pressure. While this is not an issue for people with normal blood pressure, but for those who have elevated blood pressure, this can pose a serious health risk.
Caffeine toxicity: Caffeine toxicity can occur when drinking energy drinks, especially if a person drinks more than one in a 24-hour period. Due to the high caffeine levels, caffeine intoxication can occur, which can result in vomiting, an irregular or high heart rate, seizures, and even death.
Weight gain: If you drink energy drinks often you can increase your chances of unwanted weight gain. Energy drinks are high in calories, so much so that some can contain up to 600 calories per can. Yet, despite the calorie count, energy drinks are devoid of any real nutrients.
