Is it possible to drink energy drinks: the pros and cons of drinking energy drinks
Is it possible to drink energy drinks: the pros and cons of drinking energy drinks
Anonim

Energy drinks were invented quite recently. But mankind has been using their ingredients for centuries to cheer up.

Energy drinks are consumed by absolutely everyone: office workers forced to finish their work in the evening; students while preparing for the exam; drivers who have been on the road for a long time, and just those who like the taste of an energy drink. Cheerfulness and a surge of strength - that's what these people want to get, considering the energy drink a miraculous drink.

Just a small jar - and the energy overflows again. The producers of this miracle drink assure that the energy drink does no harm, its effect on the body is comparable to that of regular tea.

But everything would be fine if not for one but. They want to limit the distribution of energy drinks. Does this mean that energy drinks are not so harmless? Then questions arise: "Is it possible to drink energy drinks? The consequences of drinking energy drinks - what are they?" This will be discussed in the article.

photo of energy drinks in the store
photo of energy drinks in the store

How did energy drinks appear?

People constantly stimulated their nervous system. For example, in Asia and China they always drank strong tea, in the Middle East - coffee, in Africa they ate kola nuts.

At the end of the 20th century, an energy drink was invented in Asia. The Austrian Dietrich Mateschic, who was at that time in Hong Kong, independently developed his recipe and began to produce it for sale. The new drink quickly gained popularity. Currently, "Red Bull" has captured 70% of the energy market.

Which countries allow energy drinks to be sold?

  • in Denmark, France and Norway, energy drinks can only be found in pharmacies;
  • sale of energy drinks at school is prohibited in Russia, contraindications and side effects must be written on the label;
  • It is illegal to sell alcoholic energy drinks in the US.

Many countries have already begun to ban the sale of energy drinks. For example, in Ireland, one athlete died in training after drinking three cans of energy drinks.

Sweden also had sad incidents. Teenagers mixed alcoholic drinks and energy drinks, they died as a result.

energy drinks
energy drinks

Ingredients of energy drinks

  • Caffeine. Undoubtedly, this is the most popular energy drink. Millions of people drink coffee to get a boost of energy. All energy drinks contain caffeine. This component is an excellent stimulant. 100 mg of caffeine increase mental alertness, and 250 mg improveendurance of the cardiovascular system. You need to drink three cans of energy drinks to achieve the desired effect, but this exceeds the daily dose.
  • Taurine. It is an amino acid found in human muscles. It improves the work of the heart, but recently doctors began to refute this hypothesis. Some doctors claim that taurine has no effect on the human body at all. One can of energy contains 300 to 100 mg of this substance.
  • Carnitine. Found in human cells. Reduces fatigue and increases endurance. This element is able to burn body fat and can improve the metabolic processes in the body.
  • Ginseng and guarana. These are medicinal plants. They have a tonic effect on the human body. Guarana has found its use in medicine: it relieves muscle pain by removing lactic acid from the tissues. Guarana cleanses the liver and prevents atherosclerosis.
  • Vitamins of group B. These components are simply necessary for a person. Thanks to them, the human brain and nervous system function properly. A lack of B vitamins can adversely affect human he alth. Manufacturers of energy drinks claim that if you get vitamins of this group in large quantities, then mental abilities will improve significantly. This is just a marketing ploy. An excess of vitamin B will negatively affect the human body.
  • Melatonin. This substance is found in the human body. It is responsible for biorhythms.
  • Matein. The substance helps to dull the feeling of hunger and has a fat burning effect.effect.

Pros and cons of energy drinks

Scientists have not come to a common conclusion whether energy drinks are harmful or beneficial. Some perceive them as ordinary lemonade, while others believe that if you regularly use energy drinks, you can harm your body.

Pros

  1. The choice of energy drinks is huge. Everyone can find an energy drink that will fully meet their tastes and preferences. Some drinks may be fruit-flavored, while others may be plain. There are drinks with a high content of vitamins, and there are with a lot of caffeine.
  2. Energy drinks can lift your spirits in minutes, they can also quickly improve mental alertness.
  3. Energy drinks are a lifesaver for students, workaholics, drivers and athletes.
  4. Glucose and various vitamins are added to many energy drinks. Glucose gives strength and energy, and the benefits of vitamins are known to absolutely everyone.
  5. Energy drink lasts about 4 hours, which is 2 times longer than the effect of a cup of coffee. What's more, energy drinks kick in much faster than coffee.
  6. Energy drinks are convenient to use: you can always keep them in your bag or car. Energy drinks are always at hand!
the benefits of energy
the benefits of energy

Cons

  • Energy should be consumed strictly in accordance with the prescribed dose: no more than two cans per day. If you drink more, then an increase in blood sugar and pressureguaranteed.
  • All vitamins added to energy drinks will not replace vitamins from natural foods and multivitamins.
  • Those with heart disease and those suffering from high or low blood pressure should not drink energy drinks.
  • Energy is not a miracle drink at all. It does not give a person energy. This drink just shows the body where to get it from. Energy drinks are just the key that opens the door to cheerfulness. To put it simply, power engineers do not give us strength, they only get our own energy from the reserves. After this drink has taken out the last strength from the reserves, the person becomes irritable and tired.
  • Caffeine, which is contained in any energy drink, depletes the human nervous system. The energy drink works for 4 hours, but after this time a person just needs to rest. Moreover, caffeine can be addictive.
  • Huge doses of caffeine and glucose added to an energy drink can harm a person.
  • In some types of energy drinks, an incredible amount of vitamin B is added, which is much more than the daily dose. Exceeding the norm can cause muscle tremors and rapid heart rate.
  • Caffeine is a diuretic. Therefore, it is forbidden to drink energy drinks after power loads, because the body has already lost a lot of fluid with sweat.
  • Glucuronolactone and taurine are added to some energy drinks. These substances are contained in the drink in an unrealisticallyhuge doses. So, for example, taurine exceeds the daily norm by 10 times, and glucuronolactone - by as much as 250! Scientists have not yet figured out how safe this dose is for humans. Research is underway on this topic.

Side effects of energy drinks

When drinking energy drinks regularly, you may experience the following side effects:

  • tachycardia - increased heart rate, the norm for a person is 60 beats per minute, but with tachycardia you can observe 90 or more heart beats;
  • psychomotor agitation - anxiety, which can be expressed in various ways: from uncontrolled motor restlessness to shouting out various phrases and sounds for no reason;
  • increased nervousness - fatigue, lack of sleep at night and sleepiness during the day, irritability and frequent headaches, all these symptoms directly indicate excessive nervousness;
  • depression - lack of joy, indifference to everything that happens, impaired thinking.
energy drink insomnia
energy drink insomnia

How to use energy drinks correctly?

It can be seen that energy drinks have far more cons than pros. But still, everyone may have a situation where one simply cannot do without an energy drink. To do this, you need to study all the postulates of the use of energy drinks in order to protect yourself from negative consequences.

  • No more than two energy drinks a day! They contain a daily dose of caffeine, exceed it categoricallyprohibited.
  • After drinking an energy drink, you should definitely rest. It is desirable that this be a full sleep.
  • It is forbidden to drink energy drinks after a sports load. As mentioned above, the energy drink removes water from the body. Moreover, energy drinks, like sports training, increase blood pressure;
  • Don't drink energy drinks if you have the following conditions: hypertension, heart disease and glaucoma. It is also forbidden to drink energy drinks if you suffer from insomnia and have a caffeine intolerance.
  • You can't give energy to kids and teenagers. Some people ask "Can children drink energy drinks?". The consequences may not be very pleasant, so it is better for the guys not to offer this drink.
  • It is forbidden to drink tea or coffee within 5 hours after drinking the energy drink.
  • Energy drinks and alcohol don't mix. The energy drink raises blood pressure, and alcohol at times enhances the effect of this drink. As a result, you can earn a hypertensive crisis.
energy drinks and alcohol
energy drinks and alcohol

Questions frequently asked about energy drinks

  1. Can I drink an expired energy drink? It is forbidden. At least it threatens poisoning. An energy drink is a product like any other. It's better to buy a new energy drink than risk yourself.
  2. Can teenagers drink energy drinks? If the energy drink does not contain alcohol, this does not mean that it is unsafe. Persons 15-16 years old are not recommended to drink this drink.
  3. Can I drinkenergy for children under 13? If teenagers should not drink energy drinks, then even more so for children. This drink can negatively affect the nervous system of a growing organism.
  4. Can pregnant women drink energy drinks? It is forbidden. Pregnant women are better off eating a nutritious diet and avoiding foods containing caffeine. Substances that make up energy drinks can harm the fetus.
  5. Can I drink an energy drink before an exam? Can. Just follow the advice for using this product.
  6. Can I drink an energy drink before a workout? In small quantities. It is forbidden to drink an energy drink after a workout.
  7. Can I drink energy drinks under 18? The store can sell energy drinks to people under 18, but this does not mean that they can be consumed. Conscientious manufacturers on the labels of energy drinks indicate: "Forbidden for use by persons under the age of 18."
child and energy
child and energy

What brands of energy drinks can you find?

  • Red Bull.
  • Burn.
  • Adrenaline Rush.

These are the most popular non-alcoholic energy drinks.

Also on the shelves of the store you can find alcoholic energy drinks. It is strictly forbidden to drink them! If you see alcohol in an energy drink, then put it aside, take care of your he alth.

photo red bull
photo red bull

What is the difference between non-alcoholic energy drinks?

It is worth saying a few words about which of the listed energy drinks is the least harmfulbody.

  • Red Bull is a drink similar in composition and effect to a cup of coffee with a spoonful of sugar.
  • Burn - this drink has a huge amount of guarana, theobromine and caffeine added.
  • Adrenaline Rush is the safest of all energy drinks. it has an invigorating effect with the help of ginseng, which is a common medicinal plant.

Finally

Whatever drink you prefer, it is worth remembering that these are just carbonated analogues of a cup of coffee. Energy drinks can harm the body.

Vitamins and substances found in energy drinks can be found in juices, fruits and chocolate.

a cup of coffee
a cup of coffee

Think about it, maybe it's better to drink a cup of strong and aromatic coffee with a piece of dark chocolate than to poison your body with energy drinks?

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