Energy drinks have become increasingly popular these days and you can easily find them in local stores to supermarkets. As the name suggests, energy drinks are supposed to provide an instant energy boost. You will suddenly feel a lot more energised after gulping down the drink. Besides, these also boost concentration and alertness to make you feel more vigilant. Anyone of any age can consume energy drinks as these are not said to cause any harm but what is the reality of energy drinks? Are these only useful and don’t have any disadvantages? If you consume energy drinks then you must read this article to know an extensive review of energy drinks and their health effects. Scroll down to read more.
What Are Energy Drinks?
For the uninitiated, energy drinks are beverages that aim to boost energy and increase mental performance. There are many energy drink brands with different formulas and caffeine concentrations. For the uninitiated, energy drinks mainly consists of sugar and caffeine. Sugar boosts energy levels and caffeine stimulates brain function. Different brands have different concentrations of caffeine in them. The other ingredients found in energy drinks are:
- B vitamins: These vitamins are helpful in converting food to energy that can be fully utilized by the body.
- Amino acid derivatives: Common amino acids used in energy drinks are L-carnitine and taurine. These promote several biological processes and thus help in increasing the effectiveness of energy drinks.
- Herbal extracts: Certain energy drinks contain herbal extracts like ginseng and guarana that improve the functioning of these drinks.
Advantages of Energy Drinks
There are certain advantages associated with energy drinks that may prompt you to get one.
Boosts Performance
One of the biggest advantages of consuming energy drinks is that it uplifts energy levels and boosts stamina. Athletes consume energy drinks to improve their performance. Vigorous activities cause excessive sweating and drain all the energy of the body. Thus, energy drinks help in replenishing energy levels. These high calorie drinks keep the person hydrated and energised.
Also Read: Eat These 8 Foods To Boost Your Stamina
Great for Bodybuilders
Some energy drinks contain Creatine which is a great muscle supplement. Many bodybuilding supplements contain creatine and other amino acid derivatives as these promote muscle mass and shape those muscles. If you are someone who doesn’t eat meat but wants to build muscular body, energy drinks are good.
Detoxification
Some energy drinks have milk thistle as main ingredient which is good for alcoholics as this helps detoxify their bodies. Milk thistle is a liver detoxifying agent which doesn’t provide a lot of calories but only alcohol elimination. Having this can help get rid of a morning hangover.
Disadvantages of Energy Drinks
Let us now tell you about the cons of energy drinks and why these are controversial among experts.
High sugar content is bad for health.
As already mentioned several times, energy drinks are loaded with sugar. Consuming so much sugar can hamper your health in many ways. Particularly, it is not good for children. Consuming a lot of sugar and caffeine increases the risk of diabetes, insomnia, anxiety and heart problems.
Also Read: Crazy Cures For Hangover From Around The World
Energy drinks increase the risk of blood pressure and cardiovascular problems
Energy drinks have high amount of sugar and therefore, these instantly increase your blood pressure. If you consume these regularly, you are highly likely to develop cardiovascular or heart-related problems.
Bad for children and lactating mothers
Energy drinks are bad for kids as consuming caffeine and sugar is bad for them. Also, if a pregnant or breastfeeding mother consumes energy drinks, it can harm the baby also. The digestive system of infants gets affected and may cause diarrhoea in children.
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