There are thousands of energy drink brands, but why?
Well, energy drinks are one of the very few sources of energy boosts, and who doesn’t like being energized? Because of those alluring effects, the consumption of energy drinks is increasing by the day which should raise health concerns.
There’re a number of side effects that energy drinks can cause and making you ill is one of them. Energy drinks include huge doses of caffeine, which has been associated with a number of side effects like rapid heartbeat, jitters, and insomnia.
Energy drinks are known for their side effects on human health, especially the ones with huge doses of caffeine and sugar. If you think about it, a small can of energy drink has 200 mg of caffeine with 20 g of sugar, and if you consume more than one can, you’re bound to get ill.
In addition, getting ill isn’t the worse side effect, people have died from the regular consumption of highly caffeinated energy drinks.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the effect of energy drinks, I urge you to keep reading. Let’s begin!
Contents
What Are The Side Effects Of Drinking Too Many Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are created with a number of ingredients that can cause side effects, especially when consumed in immoderate doses.
Caffeine is one of those ingredients, which has been linked with many side effects, and as energy drinks include huge doses, it’s very likely to get side effects from its consumption.
The most common side effects are dehydration, jitters, and insomnia which only occur when you drink too many energy drinks.
According to the FDA, healthy adults should limit their daily caffeine intake to 400 mg in order to lead a healthy life without getting any side effects.
However, 400 mg may be a safe dose for some people, but it’s not a safe dose for caffeine-sensitive people. In addition, people with caffeine sensitivity can hardly process a small dose of caffeine, let alone 400 mg.
Caffeine sensitivity is one of the most irritating conditions which can cause side effects even after consuming a small caffeine dose.
Check out the side effects of caffeine sensitivity:
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Headache.
- Jitters.
- Nervousness or anxiousness.
- Restlessness.
- Insomnia.
Moreover, besides caffeine, there’re other ingredients as well that can possibly cause side effects like irritated bowel movements.
Taurine is considered a healthy ingredient and it’s included in energy drinks in moderate doses, however, a number of participants in a study reported mild constipation and diarrhea.
Is One Energy Drink A Day Ok?
Every energy drink is created with different doses of ingredients which can change the number of cans you can drink in a day.
If an energy drink is high in caffeine and sugar, I suggest you keep its consumption occasional, however, if the energy drink has vitamins and small to moderate doses of natural caffeine and sugar, you can consume one can every day.
Ingredients determine if an energy drink is healthy or not, for instance, the OCA energy drink is quite healthy as it’s plant-based, but Monster energy drink is all chemicals with extremely high doses of sugar and caffeine.
The only thing you need to be careful about is the caffeine and sugar levels of an energy drink because immoderate consumption of caffeine as well as sugar has been linked with health complications that you wouldn’t want.
What Happens If I Drink 10 Monsters A Day?
Monster is one the most popular energy drink, it offers a wide range of flavors and holds the second largest market share after Red Bull.
Monster may be popular, but it has caused a number of deaths and has faced many lawsuits. One serving of Monster contains around 160 mg of caffeine and more than 50 g of sugar. If excessive consumption of Monster won’t kill you, I don’t know what will.
Check out the list of side effects caused by caffeine:
- Restlessness and shakiness.
- Insomnia.
- Headaches.
- Dizziness.
- Fast heart rate.
- Dehydration.
- Anxiety.
- Dependency.
Sugar may taste sweet, but there isn’t any ingredient on the face of the earth that is more dangerous for your health. In fact, many studies have associated the consumption of sugar with side effects which include:
- Headaches.
- Irritability.
- Fatigue.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Feeling jittery.
- Anxiousness.
- Feeling shaky or dizzy.
- Hunger.
- Bloating.
- Higher blood pressure.
- Inflammation.
- Weight gain.
- Diabetes.
- Fatty liver disease.
- Increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
According to the AHA, women are recommended to consume 25 g of sugar, while men can consume 36 g per day.
In my opinion, most Monster energy drink consumers are teenagers, who aren’t even allowed to consume such drinks in the first place. It’s every individual’s responsibility to take care of their own health if they want to be healthy and avoid such drinks.
Can You Drink 2 Red Bulls A Day?
Red Bull is wildly popular and offers many flavors and versions. People consume Red Bull as a juice because it’s not as expensive and comes in small sizes.
One serving of Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine, 27 g of sugar, 110 calories, and 1 g of taurine. Besides taurine, all three nutrients are in excessive doses for a small serving which is 8 oz. Therefore, I suggest you keep the consumption of Red Bull to one can a day.
Check out the nutritional facts of Red Bull to understand it:
| Red Bull 8.4 fl oz | Nutrients Contents |
| Energy | 110 calories |
| Caffeine | 80 mg |
| Fat (Of which Saturated) | 0 g (0 g) |
| Carbohydrate (Of which Sugars) | 28 g (27 g) |
| Sodium | 105 mg |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 22 mg |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 5.1 µg |
Red Bull is consumed by adults as well as teenagers, even though it’s marketed to adults only. Researchers have associated a number of side effects with the daily consumption of Red Bull which include:
- Can Increase Blood Pressure Levels And Heart Rate.
- Can Increase The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes.
- May Cause Damage To Your Teeth.
- May Have A Negative Effect On Your Kidney Health.
- Can Significantly Increase High-Risk Behavior.
- Can Cause Caffeine Overdose And Possible Toxicity.
There have been studies that explained how these sides are caused, so let’s have a look at them.
Can Increase Blood Pressure Levels And Heart Rate
A study including healthy adults indicated that consuming a single 12-ounce (355-ml) can of Red Bull gives a significant rise to blood pressure levels and heart rate levels within about 90 minutes and up to 24 hours after ingestion.
Can Increase The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
Energy drinks include large doses of sugar and as you must know, excessive sugar consumption can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
One serving of Red Bull contains 27 g of sugar, and daily consumption will certainly increase your chances of getting type 2 diabetes.
May Cause Damage To Your Teeth
A number of studies suggest that the consumption of acidic beverages can cause harmful effects on your tooth enamel, which is basically a hard outer layer that protects your teeth from decay.
As energy drinks like Red Bull fall under the category of acidic beverages, regular consumption can easily damage your tooth enamel.
May Have A Negative Effect On Your Kidney Health
While frequent consumption of Red Bull may give rise to serious side effects on kidney health, research indicates that chronic, especially excessive intake could.
Furthermore, several pieces of research suggest a link between high sugar intake and an increased risk of chronic kidney disease.
Can Significantly Increase High-Risk Behavior
Innumerable research has been done on the consumption of energy drinks and one research suggests an association between excessive intake of Red Bull and increased high-risk behavior, especially when mixed with alcohol.
Can Cause Caffeine Overdose And Possible Toxicity
While moderate doses of caffeine vary from person to person, research recommends limiting regular caffeine consumption to 400 mg or less.
As an 8.4-ounce (260-ml) Red Bull can have 75 mg of caffeine, consuming more than 5 serving every day can significantly increase your risk of caffeine overdose and toxicity.
Check out this video to know how the consumption of energy drinks is increasing.
Alternatives To Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are everyone’s go-to as they’re convenient and can give a boost of energy within minutes, however, they aren’t healthy.
Therefore, I recommend you introduce the listed alternatives in your diet for a healthy life:
- Green Smoothies.
- Fruit Smoothies.
- Green juices.
- Fruit Juices.
- Kombucha.
- Herbal Teas.
- Green Teas.
Conclusion
- Energy drinks are very capable of making you ill as they include many ingredients like caffeine and sugar in huge doses.
- Caffeine gives a boost of energy, but it’s also making you weak from the inside and develops health complications.
- Caffeine in immoderation can cause side effects like jitters and serious heart attacks.
- Sugar is another ingredient that can give rise to many side effects like inflammation.
- Monster is a dangerous energy drink that has led people to their graves, so I would be careful with its consumption.
- Red Bull is wildly popular and consumed by everyone, moreover, its consumption is linked with side effects like increased blood pressure.
- Whether it’s highly caffeinated beverages or not, too much of anything will be bad for you so keep it in moderation.