Like most other teens, I find myself getting about 7 hours of sleep during the week nights. As an 18 year old, this is not enough rest at all. Every day I wake up fatigued and groggy. Some people, in order to make up for this lost sleep go out and buy an energy drink such as red bull. Is this a healthy habit or are these drinks affecting our health?
We all have things to do and people to see. In our fast pace society it’s not always so easy to get 9 hours of sleep each night. Everyone has so many demands on their time that they need an extra boost of energy besides sleep. It has been reported that those who drink energy drinks do have an increase in mental alertness. These sweet tasting drinks also contain vitamins and minerals that are important to one’s health. (Tiffany Tseng, symptom find)
The cons of these energy drinks outweigh the pros. Potential weight gain, cardiovascular problems, and dependency are all serious problems that can come from such drinks. Since these drinks are packed with so much sugar and caffeine they tend to have a ton of calories. So, even though you are getting a short boost of energy, it comes at a high cost. If you aren’t careful it is very easy to gain weight just from drinking these daily. People that are drinking tons of these types of drinks are also much more at risk for cardiovascular problems, for example, rapid heart beat. Energy drinks can be highly addictive so many people become dependent on them to wake up in the morning and get them to function throughout the day. Some people even suffer from withdrawal symptoms like mood swings if they don’t have their energy boost. (Katherine Zeratsk, healthy lifestyle)
The moral of the story is simply to limit the use of drinking energy drinks. Instead of having these drinks daily, save them for a time when you are desperate!
references:
http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/the-pros-and-cons-of-energy-drinks/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/energy-drinks/faq-20058349
For myself, I don’t like to use those energy beverages, because I don’t want to waste two more hours in gym in order to get rid of those fat. But there’s one living example in my life- my boyfriend, who has two majors- and has double homework. To him, drinking red bell is the best way to keep sober until 3 o’clock every night. But the cost of finishing homework in time is fat and unhealthy. He is obviously overweight, and every time after the late-night his face seems awful. To me, I think people should try to reduce the time they use those beverage, it just cost too much!
I found some more information about the negatives of the caffeine in energy drinks. I consume a lot of coffee so this also makes me worry about my caffeine consumption and the effects it has on my body. I’m sure the vitamins and minerals that are in energy drinks can be found in lots of other drinks as well that are much better for you. For example, they make life water that has vitamins and minerals infused in them and it doesn’t have caffeine. There are so many other alternatives to drinking energy drinks. Here’s a link to the article I was reading. http://www.caffeineinformer.com/top-10-energy-drink-dangers
I knew I didn’t drink energy drinks for a reason! Great post with a lot of useful information. I always find I’m more awake after eating a fresh apple than I am after consuming a lot of caffeine. It’s almost like a fake wake up, and then I’m sleepy again.
This is a really great article! I always see other students wasting their money on energy drinks (but, to each their own, if you enjoy them). Like what you covered, energy drink cons completely outweigh the positives! This site shows that the only effective ingredient in energy drinks is the caffeine. The taurine actually harms your body because the body makes it naturally and does not need any more of it. The vitamins in the drink can also harm you if you drink to many Red Bulls or Monsters (because an overdose of vitamins is never good). The website is really interesting and along with this post will make you think twice about drinking artificial energy.
These drinks are a lot like coffee. They make your heat beat so fast your body cannot keep up with it. I have actually read that if you dribnk a large Monster drink and climb a few flights of stairs, your equilibrium goes off balance and can potentially cause a heart attack. They are very dangerous and unhealthy. The average teen needs about 8-10 hours of sleep each night. So, instead of puttin your body at risk, just put your body to bed. Who doesnt want to stay in bed for longer anyway?
Great informative post! I personally am very sleep deprived, and it got worse at college. However, I know now not to over drink energy drinks! I did not know that they were addictive, so now I’ll be more careful when drinking them. Thanks for the post!