Energy Drinks – Liquid Crack In A Can
Energy Drinks – Liquid Crack In A Can
So you’re low on energy and coffee doesn’t cut it anymore? A popular alternative in liquid energy comes in small, bright cans, packing a big punch. Walk into any convenience or grocery store, and you’ll see various brands of Red Bull, Adrenaline Rush, Full Throttle, and Monster Energy. They’re a new breed of energy drinks, with stiff doses of caffeine, sugar, and a mixed bag of vitamins, amino acids and herbs.
Millions around the world consume them to receive that extra energy needed to survive the day. Bar hoppers mix them with vodka to party longer and students use them to pull all-night study sessions. Even athletes are hopping on the wagon as a boost to their performance.
But now they’re being flagged by some health experts as a potential health danger. According to a study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, these and other drinks can contain ingredients which stress the immune system if consumed excessively or over the long haul.
Unfounded Claims?
Red Bull, arguably the most popular energy drink worldwide, states that their formula is scientifically formulated to “provide energy, vitalize the mind, improve concentration and reaction time.”
But many nutrition professionals remain unconvinced, noting that caffeine is the primary working ingredient. Consumer Reports on Health criticized energy drinks for having ” ‘extras’ you don’t need.” The publication said these beverages “contain mostly sugar and caffeine, with other ingredients having little benefit or being untested.”
Red Bull contains about 80 mg of caffeine per 8 ounce can. While this is more than double that of a can of Coke, it’s no more than your average cup of coffee. But now there’s a new breed of these super charged liquid stallions, led by a drink called “Cocaine.” Also available in an 8.4 ounce can, it contains a whopping 280 milligrams of caffeine. According to the company’s Web site, the only way to get more caffeine per ounce is with an espresso.
A September 28, 2006 CBC article quoted Jamey Kirby, the drinks inventor, as saying “the beverage is 350 percent stronger than Red Bull. The “high” hits within five minutes, followed by an energetic, buzzed out ride fifteen minutes later, which lasts five to six hours.”
With such an extreme high, this huge wallop of legal stimulants can be intense for anyone, especially kids. Of course energy drink manufacturers deny marketing to children, but the debate remains hot. The drinks are sold legally over the counter to anyone, and critics believe they may be fostering caffeine addiction, cause hyperactivity, restlessness, and increase excretion of calcium, a valuable mineral while bones are still growing. Health experts say young people already consume unhealthy amounts of caffeine and sugar, and don’t need a product which raises that intake.
The official imported Canadian Red Bull is a caffeinated version of Thai Krating Daeng. Until late 2004, it was prohibited for sale in Canada and now must carry a warning label that says: “Caution: Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children, pregnant or breast-feeding women, caffeine sensitive persons or to be mixed with alcohol. Do not consume more than 500 ml per day.”
The danger is obvious, says the National Institutes of Health. So much caffeine on a regular basis can raise blood pressure, (sometimes to the point of palpitations), dehydrate the body, as well as increase the risk of heart disease and premature death.
Do other ingredients contribute to the kick?
Arguably, the next ingredient is no healthier. Simple sugars are a “huge” part of these drinks and help elevate the buzz quickly. These cause the nervous system to become over stimulated, making people feel more energized. But clearly, a drink with a large amount of sugar is not a good high, because the energy produces can be ephemeral and short-lived, causing a crash once the sugar works its way out of the bloodstream.
Taurine also has been mentioned as a source of energy, especially when combined with caffeine. It is thought to be a “mild inhibitory neurotransmitter”, as some studies show it helps with excitable brain states. Though taurine is an amino acid found naturally in the human body, in energy drinks it is entirely synthetic and could also have potentially negative side effects when present in high concentrations in the body.
A 2005 CBC Marketplace report stated that one can of Red Bull contains about 1000 mg of taurine, or as much as 500 glasses of red wine. This amount is packed into a tiny 8.4 ounce can. But pick up a 16 ounce can of some other brands, and you can ingest up to 3000 mg Taurine and an insane 500 mg of caffeine.
In a nutshell, these drinks contain stimulant with unclear long-term consequences, in relation to amounts and interactions within in the human body. What is known, is that they can boost the heart rate and blood pressure
Pages: 1 2