Energy drinks are a relatively “young” invention of mankind, despite the fact that the invigorating effect of their ingredients was known long before the convenient and popular nowadays aluminum cans appeared.
Energy drinks have become a real salvation for many people – for those who are just wildly tired, but must be cheerful. For those who often visit nightclubs and need to be in good shape during the day, for tired drivers, athletes going for a record, deadline workers and, of course, students during the session. It’s so convenient – a small jar of energy works real wonders. You don’t want to sleep so much anymore, you can go about business.
Of course, energy drink makers insist that they are completely harmless and are diligently releasing new flavors and varieties. But if everything is so perfect, why are they so actively fighting the distribution of this miraculous drink at the legislative level? We propose to sort it out together.
Composition of energy drinks
First of all, it is necessary to determine those components from which the power engineering is produced.
Caffeine
All energy drinks contain this ingredient, there are no exceptions. They act on the body as a stimulant – 100 mg of caffeine actively stimulates the activity of the brain, and 238 mg can increase the endurance of the heart and blood vessels. To achieve this effect, you will need to consume at least 3 cans of energy drink. But the manufacturers themselves warn – you can drink no more than 1-2 cans per day.
Taurine
1 can of drink contains 400-1000 mg of this component. Taurine is an amino acid that has the ability to accumulate in muscle tissue. It is believed that it has a positive effect on the heart muscle – it improves its work. But recently, doctors have been saying that taurine has no effect on the human body.
Carnitine
This component of human cells contributes to the rapid oxidation of fatty acids. It reduces muscle fatigue and increases metabolism.
Ginseng and Guarana
These plants have the ability to tone up. For example, guarana leaves are widely used by doctors. They are able to remove lactic acid from muscle tissue, while significantly reducing pain during sports activities. In addition, they cleanse the liver and resist the development of atherosclerosis. But all the same doctors say that the disturbing properties of ginseng and guarana are not confirmed by anything.
Vitamins B
These vitamins are essential for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. The body feels a lack of them, but an increase in the dose does not affect it in any way – your performance will not become better and better, in the same way, mental abilities will not increase, as the manufacturers say.
Melatonin
The component is found in the human body, it is responsible for the daily rhythm of people.
Matein
An ingredient in the famous green tea mate. Its effect is known to all those losing weight – it promotes weight loss and helps to overcome hunger.
The benefits of energy drinks
Now let’s designate what energy is useful for a person. The following points can be highlighted:
The drink is ideal for activating brain activity or urgently invigorating.
Energy drinks are available to you according to your taste and other needs. Energy tonics are divided into categories for buyers with different needs – some more carbohydrates and vitamins, others – caffeine. For example, the first type is ideal for an active person who does a lot of sports, the second for students and workaholics who do not sleep at night.
Energy drinks contain glucose and a complex of vitamins. The latter have obvious benefits, glucose delivers energy to the brain, muscles, and other organs, is instantly absorbed into the bloodstream and takes part in oxidative processes.
Longer-lasting effect, so from a cup of coffee it lasts no more than 2 hours, and from energotonics – 4 hours. Due to the carbonated state, their effect is significantly accelerated.
The sealed packaging allows you to carry the drink with you, but a cup of coffee is already extremely uncomfortable in your hands.
The harm of energy drinks
It is imperative to realize what is the negative impact of energy tonics:
Drinking in excess of the norm increases blood pressure, and there may also be spikes in blood sugar.
In countries such as Norway, Denmark, France until 2009, power engineering was banned – they could be purchased at a pharmacy, with a prescription.
All those vitamins contained in drinks cannot replace complete multivitamin complexes.
Energy drinks are contraindicated for someone who has heart or blood pressure problems.
The disturbing effect of energotonics is nothing more than psychosomatics. A can of drink does not give you energy, it takes it away from you. You yourself take it out on credit, and you have to give it away with depression, irritability, insomnia, and increased fatigue.
The caffeine contained in the drink significantly depletes the human nervous system. Its effect lasts no more than 5 hours, and after that your body definitely needs to rest. In addition, it is addictive. But the researchers stated that the harm from the rate of energy tonics is no more than from the rate of coffee consumption.
For a young, growing body, energy drinks are unsafe because they contain caffeine and sugar.
The drink is often high in vitamin B, which can cause tremors and heart palpitations.
Caffeine is a diuretic and it is important for athletes to keep this in mind. During training, a lot of fluid is lost, and after it it is better not to drink energy tonics.
If there is an overdose of the drink, then side effects may appear – depression, nervousness, psychomotor agitation, tachycardia.
Energy drinks contain glucuronolactone and taurine. In the amount in which they are present in tonics, they are harmless. However, diabetics cannot use them for a long time, as well as people under 18 years of age.
You can see for yourself that the harm in energy drinks is much greater than the intended benefits. But sometimes there comes a moment when a one-time use of a tonic is simply necessary and even saves some unexpected situation.
Consider also the fact that doctors do not recommend consuming energy drinks on an empty stomach (and this is what often happens, a person drinks a tonic to cheer up in the morning). Because of this, the gastrointestinal tract can be damaged, and above all – the stomach itself. Then there can be extremely unpleasant consequences, for example, toxic pancreatitis.
It is very difficult to cure, moreover, this disease can be complicated by the breakdown of the pancreas. If there is a need to take an energy drink, then do not exceed the daily rate and do not “sit down” on it, the habit will develop very quickly. It will be difficult to get rid of it.
