How Energy Drinks Impact your Health

Today, energy drinks are widely promoted as products that increase energy and enhance mental alertness and physical performance. Apart from multivitamins, energy drinks are the most popular dietary supplement consumed by teens and young adults. They are primarily made with water, sugar, caffeine, certain vitamins, minerals and stimulants such as guarana, taurine and ginseng. Adult men between the ages of 18 and 34 years consume the most energy drinks, and almost one-third of teens between 12 and 17 years drink them regularly.

It is not that hard to see that energy drinks can cause a myriad of health problems. The added sugar in an energy drink might keep you awake for a while, but it’s going to contribute to insulin resistance, diabetes and tooth decay. Further, the powerhouse of caffeine will push the blood pressure up quickly.

The consumption is increasing worldwide and that has raised concern about these drinks and their impact on young people. Here are five reasons how energy drinks impact one’s health:

• Obesity (Weight gain) – High dose of caffeine is accompanied by a high dose of sugar. It is because a drink with a sporty image may lead to obesity due to its high sugar content. A 16-ounce energy drink gives you 220 calories. Which in turn may also increase the risk of type-2 diabetes.
• Heart Health – Energy drink consumption has been tied to side effects to heart including elevated blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, seizures, stroke, and heart attack. Studies suggested that in healthy young adults, a single 24-ounce energy drink may impair blood vessel function.
• Stomach Irritation – Excessive sugar in these carbonated drinks, may cause stomach irritation, aches and flatulence. Caffeine in energy drinks cause serious gastritis, which may cause symptoms such as inflammation, pain, ulcers and bleeding in the stomach and intestines. If not controlled, this can even lead to heartburn and irritation in the stomach lining.
• Dental problems – Energy drinks are loaded with sugar which is why they may affect your dental health. The sugar in these drinks can wear down the tooth enamel, thereby exposing them to cavities, hypersensitivity and erosion.
• Dehydration – Energy drinks are used to give your body an instant energy boost. For why people end up drinking it during workout hours and while playing sports. The Caffeine present in these drinks naturally acts as a diuretic (it makes you urinate) that prevents the kidney from retaining the fluids, thereby dehydrating your body.
• Calcium deficiency – Caffeinated beverages are reported to be associated with reduced bone mass, and loss in calcium reservoirs. This also increases the risk of fractures, and bone injuries.

Over to you:
Since there are numerous energy drinks claiming to boost your focus, endurance and efficiency. But they are actually harming one’s health instead. So, having one once in a while may not be a bad thing, but making it a habit will wreak havoc on your health.