Energy drinks are the most consumed and popular beverage out of all the beverages. The energy drink industry is skyrocketing with so many successful energy drinks coming out. As the consumption of energy drinks increases rapidly, the research found these drinks quite interesting.
Innumerable studies have been done on the consumption of energy drinks, and while some ended in positive results, others have found some side effects. The positive effects of energy drinks include increased energy levels, strength, and focus, whereas negative effects included rapid heartbeat and anxiety.
Energy drinks are primarily marketed to adults, however, teenagers and young adults are having their fair share, which has raised many health concerns.
In addition, energy drinks have been reported to cause many side effects and even heart attacks, especially among young adults as these drinks include large doses of caffeine and sugar.
However, there’re other ingredients that can also give rise to many side effects, but excessive sugar and caffeine have been linked with many serious side effects, keep on reading to find out.
Contents
Ingredients In Energy Drinks
Every energy drink is created with carefully selected ingredients, the main focus is to include ingredients that can provide a mental and physical boost.
Mostly caffeine is used for that boost, but there’re other ingredients that can also provide similar effects.
Here’s the list of the most common ingredients used in energy drinks:
- Carbonated water.
- Sugar.
- Artificial Sweeteners (sucralose).
- Caffeine.
- Taurine.
- Panax ginseng root extract.
- L-carnitine.
- L-tartrate.
- Guarana seed extract.
- B vitamins.
- Green tea extract.
- Green coffee bean extract.
These ingredients can be found in almost every formula, as they have many benefits as well as side effects if consumed in immoderation.
Check out the benefits and side effects of these above-listed ingredients:
| Ingredients | Benefits | Side effects |
| Carbonated Water | Improve digestion Promotes weight loss Improves heart health | Can make you gassy and bloated |
| Sugar | Boosts your energy levels Makes your mood better | Higher blood pressure Weight gain Bloating Acne |
| Artificial Sweeteners | No contribution is tooth decay and cavities Includes no calories | Increased risk of cancer Higher blood pressure |
| Caffeine | Increased strength and cognitive performance | Rapid heartbeat Jitters Insomnia |
| Taurine | Helps support the nerve growth May help prevent heart failure | No negative side effects linked with its intake |
| Panax Ginseng Root Extract | Prevents skin aging Helps with high blood sugar and cholesterol levels | Insomnia Changes in blood pressure |
| L-Carnitine | Promotes weight loss Improves physical performance | Nausea Abdominal cramps Diarrhea |
| L-Tartrate | Prevents exercise fatigue and muscle weakness | “Fishy” body odor Tingling skin |
| Guarana Seed Extract | Reduce fatigue Improve focus Boost heart health Contains anti-cancer properties | Seizures Anxiety Upset stomach Shakiness |
| B Vitamins | Breaks down carbohydrates and transports nutrients throughout the body | Tightness of the throat Weakness Itching |
| Green Tea Extract | Benefits liver function Lowers blood sugar levels Rich in antioxidants | Anxiety Tremors Irritability Trouble sleeping |
| Green Coffee Bean Extract | Helps lower blood pressure Reduces the risk of many chronic diseases | Irregular heartbeat |
These ingredients are most common, but there are other ingredients that energy drinks include to make them more potent which always leads to dangerous paths.
Therefore, before consuming any energy drink you need to check the list of ingredients and the nutritional facts label.
Side Effects Of Energy Drinks
Energy drinks have gained popularity because of their alluring effects, people often consume more than one serving in one sitting without realizing that it can be bad for them. These energy drinks were used to be consumed for a purpose by people who were old enough to process them.
However, now you’ll see almost every age consuming these drinks, mostly young adults and teenagers. There’re many energy drinks, but the most popular ones are Monster and Red Bull, which have been linked to horrible side effects.
In fact, Monster has faced several lawsuits as consumers reported experiencing rapid heartbeat and even heart attacks.
Consumers believe these side effects are primarily due to the caffeine and sugar contents of Monster energy drinks as one serving of Monster includes 160 mg of caffeine and 54 g of sugar.
Furthermore, Red Bull also has induced many side effects, in fact, research has linked many side effects with its chronic and immoderate consumption.
Here’s the list of those side effects:
- Increases blood pressure levels and heart rate.
- Higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Can induce damage to your teeth.
- Can have side effects on your kidney health.
- Can significantly increase high-risk behavior.
- This could lead to caffeine overdose and toxicity.
Research indicates that while occasional and moderate consumption of energy drinks like Red Bull are less likely to induce these side effects, regular and excessive intake could lead to them and may even cause health complications that may lead to death.
As excessive intake of sugar and caffeine has been linked with most of these side effects, the FDA recommends limiting your daily dose of caffeine to 400 mg or less.
While the AHA, suggests that women and men can have no more than 24 g (6 teaspoons) and 36 g (9 teaspoons) of sugar per day.
So as long as you’re consuming sugar and caffeine from any beverage within these recommended limits, your chances of experiencing these horrible side effects are less.
How Many Energy Drinks Can I Drink In A Day?
The energy drinks industry is expanding rapidly, there’re thousands of energy drinks. While some are healthy as they include moderate doses of ingredients, others may be dangerous as they may have high doses of ingredients like sugar.
Healthy or not, energy drinks should always be consumed in moderation, or else you may be risking your life.
Research has set daily doses for sugar, caffeine, taurine, vitamins, and almost every ingredient used in energy drinks, so as long as you’re keeping your consumption according to these limits, you’ll be fine.
Can Too Many Energy Drinks Kill You?
Energy drinks are potent and their immoderate consumption can cause many side effects which can lead you to your grave.
For instance, if you consume too many servings of energy drinks like Monster with high doses of caffeine and sugar, it may cause inflammation and high blood pressure which can lead to a heart attack.
However, that is quite rare, it’ll take you years to develop these health complications, so you’re in the clear.
Check out this video to fully comprehend how energy drinks are affecting you:
Healthy Energy Drinks
There’re healthy energy drinks, let me decode them for you. There’re energy drinks with some natural ingredients that are health benefits in moderate doses.
Healthy energy drinks can also be effective, these drinks are capable of providing a long-lasting boost of energy without jitters.
Check out the list of healthy energy drinks:
Mind you that even though these energy drinks aren’t entirely healthy, you need to be responsible with their consumption as well, however, I would say that these energy drinks are much better than those caffeine-jacked death potions.
Alternatives To Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are wildly popular, especially in countries like China and America, which isn’t the healthiest habit.
Therefore, you need to introduce some healthy beverages to your diet, so check out the list below:
- Green Tea.
- Herbal Tea.
- Kombucha.
- Green and Fruit Juice.
- Green and Fruit Smoothies.
Conclusion
- Energy drinks have been thoroughly studied, and while some found positive results, others only concluded side effects, that range from mild to severe, depending on the intake.
- Energy drinks are most famous for their alluring effects like increased focus and physical performance.
- However, these drinks have also been linked with side effects like rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and even heart strokes.
- Research suggests that the only way to avoid these side effects is by keeping their consumption in moderation.
- Two of the most popular and consumed energy drinks, Monster and Red Bull have been associated with the most dangerous side effects.
- Energy drinks can be extremely beneficial for you if you consume them in moderation and frequently.