Energy drinks. College students, high school students, some parents and now children are all drinking them on a daily basis. A review of studies on drinks that boost your energy, endurance and performance effects are troubling to some children with conditions like ADHD, diabetes or heart problems. The effects have been proven to possibly do harm while not improving performance or energy levels substantially. Brands like Rockstar, Monster, Full Throttle and Red Bull are estimated to reach $9 billion in the U.S. this year. Certain energy drinks contain alcoholic content that are all now illegal, or at least can’t be sold under the category of being an energy drink. Energy Drinks are definitely different than sports drinks. Sports drinks are made to keep people hydrated, recharge people with nutrients and replace electrolytes that the body may lose being pushed to physical extremes. Yes, caffeine will give you a boost, but too much can cause serious problems in your body.
Energy drinks are put under the category of “dietary supplements”, and are not regulated by the FDA. Caffeine overdose and changes in blood flow and can reduce insulin sensitivity. In Europe studies show energy drinks can cause liver damage, seizures and racing heart rate. They can also cause respiratory disorders and possibly death. Sodas aren’t that different from Energy drinks either, because of the sugar and caffeine that are put into them. Diet Coke and regular Coke were used in an experiment in high schools to show the density between the two. Both were place in a tub of water, the regular Coke sank, while the Diet floated because of the sugar content. Just the thought of energy drinks consisting of three times as much sugar than sodas makes several people think twice.
http://bodyecology.com/articles/energy_drink_nutrition.php
http://www.nutrition-health-supplements.com/energy-drinks.html
