Almost everyone is drinking some brand of energy drinks these days. They are available at every convenience store or in soda machines. There are even Network Marketing companies selling their herbal version of the ‘energy drink.’ All of these energy drinks cost more than the average soda drinks or juice, but people don’t seem to mind because they want the boost they get from drinking them. Now, there are even smaller containers of just the potent ingredients, packaged and sold like ‘shots’ – just as expensive, but get right to the point.
People consume these energy drinks because they think it will give them more energy. Most of these products contains caffeine that will dehydrate the body and have the ‘crash’ effect once the caffeine subsides.
The fact is, energy drinks stimulate you. They do not energize you.
Most caffeine based energy drinks contains three to five times the caffeine as compared to sodas. Some ingredients are not even listed on the labels. Many of the so called herbal energy drinks sold by Network Marketing companies contains unregulated herbal stimulants like taurine, guarana, creatine and B-vitamins, may be harmful or cause allergy reactions.
Some common side effects from energy drinks may include elevated heart rates, headaches, anxiety, nausea, diarrhea and hypertension. Recent study shows that in more serious cases, seizures, strokes, heart palpitations and even sudden death. Doctors advise individuals with heart conditions and children should stay away from these products.
The sad thing is that parents are letting their children consume such stimulant as a beverage. Many schools are even selling energy drinks in their cafeterias. There are many known cases about healthy teenage children dying from drinking some brand of energy drinks, but yet, some of these energy drink companies target teenagers with their flashy, rock star, music video-like, TV commercials. They even give out free samples on busy street corners in major cities and set up booths at entertainment events or school sporting events to give their products away for free – all done without any consideration for the person’s age or their health.
Introduced some 20 years ago, energy drinks are now a multi-billion dollar a year market in the USA alone. Advocate groups are making suggestion that a warning message to be placed on energy drinks and also set age restrictions as to who can consume these products.
Should you worry about energy drinks?
Should you worry about the side effects from energy drinks?
Should you worry about children dying from energy drinks?
You decide!
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