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Can Energy Drinks Make You Feel Sick? (All Info)

A man holding a can of energy drink
Yes, energy drinks can make you feel sick

Energy drinks are produced to provide a boost of energy to people, only adults though. There’re thousands of energy drinks with slightly different ingredients and doses. In addition, the most significant ingredient is caffeine which is often in large doses.

Caffeine in large doses can be bad for you as it can cause intoxication, which will result in side effects like vomiting, fast heart rate, and more.

Furthermore, energy drinks often include huge doses of sugar, which can cause sugar crashes and fatigue.

Energy drinks are quite dangerous for human consumption and can cause a number of side effects, even death, keep on reading to find out more things about energy drinks.

What Are 3 Common Side Effects Of Energy Drinks?

Energy drinks have become extremely popular which increased their consumption, especially among teenagers and young adults.

You shouldn’t be consuming energy drinks in immoderation because it can give rise to some side effects, however, the 3 most common are: rapid heart rate, insomnia, and dehydration.

All three of the side effects are associated with excessive intake of caffeine, therefore to avoid them, you merely have to keep the consumption of highly caffeinated energy drinks inadequate.

According to the FDA, you should limit your caffeine intake to only 400 mg or less.

Additionally, energy drinks also include sugar in large doses which can cause a number of side effects which include:

  • Headaches.
  • Irritability.
  • Fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
  • Feeling jittery or anxious.
  • Feeling shaky or dizzy.
  • Hunger.
  • Sugar Crashes.
  • Bloating.
  • Higher blood pressure.
  • Inflammation.
  • Weight gain.
  • Diabetes.
  • Fatty liver disease.
  • Increased risk for heart attack and stroke.

According to the AHA, women, and men are recommended to have an intake of 25 g and 36 g of sugar per day.

Sugar in excessive amounts can lead to heart attack, for instance, Monster Energy has led a number of people to their graves as it includes 54g of sugar per 16 oz serving.

Energy drinks are good for you as long as you consume them in moderation, otherwise, they can get dangerous.

Are Too Many Energy Drinks Bad For You?

A can of Red Bull
Red Bull contains a large dose of sugar which can induce heart complications

Energy drinks are known to increase mental and physical performance which is why they’re consumed at such a gross rate.

Moreover, energy drinks include ingredients like sugar and caffeine in high doses which can be bad for you. In fact, energy drinks like Red Bull have been associated with several side effects which include:

  • May increase your blood pressure levels and heart rate.
  • Can increase the chance of encountering type 2 diabetes.
  • Can cause damage to your teeth.
  • Can lead to a negative effect on your kidney health.
  • May increase high-risk behavior, especially among teenagers.
  • Can cause caffeine overdose and possible toxicity.

May Increase Your Blood Pressure Levels And Heart Rate

Blood pressure and heart rate are two of the most crucial measures for heart health, and as high levels of both of them have been associated with an increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart disease.

Many studies in healthy adults have proved that if you drink one can of Red Bull every day, it could significantly increase your blood pressure levels and heart rate levels within 90 minutes after consumption and can last up to 24 hours.

These increased levels are thought to be primarily due to the caffeine content of Red Bull, as one 12-ounce (355-ml) can include 108 mg of caffeine.

Despite of these increased levels, moderate and frequent consumption of Red Bull is unlikely to induce any serious heart problems in healthy adults.

However, excessive intake, especially in young people, has been connected to irregular heart rhythm, heart attack, and even death.

Furthermore, while research may be limited, having a regular intake of Red Bull could worsen heart health and possibly be life-threatening in people with pre-existing high blood pressure or any heart disease.

Can Increase The Chance of Encountering Type 2 Diabetes

Excessive sugar consumption, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, can significantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

In fact, a review study including a number of adults found that the consumption of 1–2 servings of sugar-sweetened beverages every day was linked with a significant 26% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

As Red Bull is a popular sugar-sweetened beverage that provides 27 g of sugar per one 8.4-ounce (260-ml) serving, if you drink one or more servings per day, your chances of getting type 2 diabetes will increase significantly.

Can Cause Damage to Your Teeth

A number of researchers suggested that if you consume acidic beverages, it may cause damage to your tooth enamel, which is a hard outer layer that protects your teeth against decay.

As Red Bull is an acidic beverage, chronic intake may harm your tooth enamel.

A 5-day test-tube study concluded that if you expose your human tooth enamel to energy drinks for at least 15 minutes and 4 times a day, it could significantly damage your tooth enamel.

In addition, the study also noted that energy drinks can be twice as damaging to tooth enamel compared to soft drinks.

May Cause A Negative Effect On Your Kidney Health

While occasional intake of Red Bull is unlikely to cause any serious effects on your kidney health, some research indicates that regular and excessive intake could.

In fact, a 12-week study including rats showed that chronic consumption of Red Bull can induce a decline in kidney function.

In addition, much research also suggests a connection between high sugar intake and a greater risk of chronic kidney disease.

As Red Bull includes high doses of sugar, chronic and excessive consumption can increase your risk.

May Increase High-Risk Behavior, Especially Among Teenagers

A person cycling over a board that has the logo of Red Bull
Red Bull may just give you those wings

Several types of research have indicated a link between consuming Red Bull and greater high-risk behavior, especially when energy drinks are combined with alcohol.

When energy drinks are combined with alcohol, caffeine in Red Bull may mask the depressant effects of alcohol, which will make you feel less intoxicated, however, you’ll still be experiencing alcohol-linked impairments.

One study showed that college-aged students who consumed energy drinks and alcohol combined were prone to drink and drive and experience serious injuries related to alcohol as compared to when alcohol was consumed alone.

However, even if you don’t pair energy drinks with alcohol, observational studies suggested that daily consumption of Red Bull is connected to an increased risk of alcohol dependence and illicit drug use.

Can Cause Caffeine Overdose And Possible Toxicity

While a safe dose of caffeine varies from person to person, some research suggests people limit their regular caffeine to 400 mg less.

As an 8.4-ounce (260-ml) can of Red Bull includes 80 mg of caffeine, consuming more than 5 cans every day could increase your risk of caffeine overdose.

Additionally, adolescents who’re under the age of 19 are at a greater risk of caffeine-related side effects, if they keep a regular intake of more than five cans of Red Bull.

Here’s a list of symptoms of caffeine overdose and toxicity:

  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Hallucinations.
  • Anxiety.
  • Rapid heart rate,
  • Dizziness.
  • Trouble sleeping.
  • Seizures.

Here’s the nutritional facts table of Red Bull, so that you can see for yourself how much sugar and calories it contains:

NutrientsAmount per 8-ounce
Energy110 calories
Fat0g
Sugar27g
Caffeine80mg
Sodium105mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)22mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)5.05mg
Vitamin B65.05mg
Vitamin B125.1µg
Nutrition facts about Red Bull

Can Too Much Caffeine Cause Side Effects?

Caffeine is one of the many ingredients, however, it’s the most crucial one. Caffeine stimulates the brain and the central nervous system, it increases your mental and physical performance which ultimately increases your productivity.

Caffeine is included in large doses in an energy drink, which is justifiable as it’s the main source of energy that energy drinks claim to provide. However, people often ignore the fact that too much caffeine intake can lead to side effects.

Here’s a list of side effects associated with excessive caffeine intake:

  • Restlessness and shakiness.
  • Insomnia.
  • Headaches.
  • Dizziness.
  • Fast heart rate.
  • Dehydration.
  • Anxiety.
  • Dependency.

The way you’re going to avoid all these energy drinks related side effects is by limiting your daily intake of highly caffeinated and sugar-sweetened energy drinks.

Check out this video to see how energy drinks are affecting people:

Are energy drinks bad for your overall health?

Alternatives To Energy Drinks

Energy drinks can induce many side effects, but you know what won’t cause any side effects?

Well, drinks made with vegetables and fruits are best for your health, so check out the list below:

  • Green juice.
  • Fruit Juice.
  • Green and Fruit Smoothies.
  • Herbal Teas.
  • Green Teas.
  • Kombucha.

Conclusion

  • Energy drinks can cause a number of side effects and making you sick is one of them.
  • Too many energy drinks can make you feel anxious and even nauseated.
  • In addition, the side effects are largely due to excessive caffeine and sugar doses.
  • Red Bull may be the most popular energy drink, but it’s also the most dangerous one, as research has associated many side effects with its regular intake.
  • If you want to lead a healthy life, I suggest you switch from Red Bull to some other energy drink with zero sugar and calorie contents, and low caffeine content.

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