There has been a fad going around again. This one was popular when I was a kid, but seems to be coming back for another round. It’s the energy drink fad. There has been a recent push from companies and celebrities to capitalize on the growing popularity of the supplement and health market. That has brought in super high caffeine drinks with all kinds of random vitamins and substances meant to help you. But is that really what it is doing? Is it healthy for people to be drinking these every day or even drinking multiple in a day? Or is there anything at all to what they are saying?
CAN IT BE GOOD?
Yes. These drinks do have things in them that could be giving you a benefit. Caffeine alone can act to make you feel more alert, help with your liver health, and even change how your body is processing and dealing with sugars. Its very popular with distance runners because it can improve performance and stamina in athletes. Some drinks include things like CoQ-10 and amino acids to help with brain function and overall energy levels. Creatine is a popular one, which is meant to help you hold muscle energy for the entirety of your workout. These things, like I said, are great and could be good for you. However, Its important to note, that almost none of these drinks have any kind of approval or regulation by the FDA since they can be listed as “supplements”. You have no real way of knowing exactly what is in them. Couple that with daily use, and we have a recipe for trouble.
WHY CAN THEY BE BAD?
The lack of regulation to start with. Some established companies are transparent about what exactly they are putting in their drinks, but that isn’t always the case. And there isn’t people watching over them and doing independent testing to confirm they are telling the truth. Now, your body is an amazing thing. It is going to eliminate all of the bad or extra stuff so you don’t get sick from it or have to deal with it. That is, until you start drinking it all the time. There are studies that show issues with daily consumption and how it can cause heart trouble. The constant assault of stimulants on your heart will cause it to grow, cause it to beat wrong, or could even trigger anxiety. This is all taking into account a healthy adult drinking them. 1/3 of teens are regularly drinking these, and their bodies can’t process it as well as an adult could. This is why 20,000 people in 2011 visited the ER because of drinking energy drinks.
ADDICTION
Everyone knows a caffeine addict. That’s the person that is always irritable in the morning and can’t function until they have their coffee. You might have even heard of people talking about the headaches they get when they go without their daily caffeine. These are some of the most common symptoms people experience when getting off caffeine. It can suck, but like we stated before, its best to do it now. We don’t want to have to wait until it becomes a major issue with your heart. That can leave lasting damage. If you are concerned about how much caffeine you are drinking, there are other options. Some companies make decaf versions of your favorite coffee. A lot of people like to reach for alternatives, such as tea, mud wtr, or another drink that has less caffeine. This helps people bring the addiction down to a more manageable level before they kick the habit. Trust me, your body will thank you in the long run!
