Side Effects of Energy Drinks
In some cases, you may feel the negative effects of energy drinks after your first taste. You may also feel your heart rate increase and stress levels elevate. Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can lead to anxiety, restlessness, and trouble sleeping.
Energy drinks may also lead to stomach irritation and muscle twitches. In severe cases, the ingredients in energy drinks can stop your arteries from dilating. In some cases, an otherwise healthy person can have cardiac arrest after consuming an excessive number of energy drinks.
If you need a pick-me-up in the morning, experts say a cup of black coffee would be a better option. You can also wake up 30 minutes earlier and do aerobic exercise. If you have a morning exercise routine, you will have more energy, stamina, and focus throughout the day. Taking a short brisk walk at lunch is another great way to elevate your energy level.
The major component of an energy drink is caffeine, a stimulant that can give you more energy. These drinks can have a large amount of caffeine—ranging from 50 to 505 milligrams per serving. For comparison, a normal cup of coffee has over 100 mg of caffeine, a cup of black tea contains 30 mg, and a can of regular soda contains 34 mg.
Energy drinks come in a wide variety of options. From sugar-free to a B-vitamin [1] boost, you can choose from different great concoctions. The sales of energy drinks in the US have grown by 240% between 2004 and 2009, and consuming these solutions appears to be a trend that is not going away any time soon.
While some of the ingredients found in energy drinks are natural and may sound like a healthful choice, making them a part of your lifestyle comes with some risks. In fact, over a five-year span, the amount of energy drink-related visits to emergency departments doubled, climbing from 10,068 to 20,783 cases. In 2011 alone, 1 in 10 of these visits resulted in hospitalization.
Taking an energy drink can result in some unpleasant effects that can easily be avoided by choosing another option and a more healthful way to regulate your energy levels. You must ensure you have over 7 hours of sleep every night into your day. But if you are used to taking energy drinks, here are 12 potential side effects you should take note of before you gulp your next drink.