From the sugar-ridden toll they take on your body to the brain-frying effects of overconsumption,
today we look at the Dark Side of Energy Drinks That Will Make You Question Drinking Them.
Number 13.
Allergic to Energy Energy drinks are almost like a witch's brew
with the long list of ingredients used in their concoction.
Ginseng , taurine , a variety of B vitamins, guarana , carnitine , creatine , ginkgo biloba
and all sorts of other exotic extracts are often utilized to craft these fueling beverages.
This can create a minefield, though, for people who suffer from allergies.
And with how exotic some ingredients are, a person may have to discover from an energy
drink that they're allergic in the first place!
Number 12.
Highly Addictive People can get addicted to anything they enjoy,
but energy drinks can take it to another level by fulfilling a variety of chemical reactions.
Along with usual dopamine release associated with addiction, in which one is overcome with
a feeling of euphoria, the caffeine in energy drinks can create a very real physical and
mental dependence as well.
Millions of people across the world plan their day around getting their caffeine fix, and
with energy drinks, this can get costly.
Often costing anywhere between two and four dollars a can, meeting personal daily requirements
can cost a ridiculous amount when totaled up, especially when drinking one can a day
isn't getting the job done.
Energy drink addicts can easily spend upwards of a hundred dollars a month, relying on these
sugary beverages just to function.
Number 11.
Withdrawals After drinking energy drinks long enough,
your body will eventually create a dependency on the caffeine to operate and not supplying
that demand can cause some painful side effects.
Whether you've gone 24 hours or just missed your usual dose of caffeine, it doesn't take
long for withdrawal symptoms to kick in.
Chief among these are headaches that can transform into migraines.
Jolts of pain make their way from just behind the eyes before intensifying to a throbbing
pulse of torment stretching across the front of your head.
Other withdrawal symptoms can include cramping, a lack of concentration, sinus blockage and
even constipation.
So while you can stop once you fall down the rabbit hole of Red Bulls and Rockstars, it
will likely be anything but a painless process.
Number 10.
Insomnia Students, businessmen and others around the
world trying to stay awake will often turn to energy drinks to fuel their late night
work.
But this tactic can easily backfire, keeping energy drink users up and alert long past
their intended bedtime.
Energy drink-induced insomnia may seem like you're wired and ready to go, but missing
out on sleep can have a number of negative effects on the body and one's performance.
Tasks that require heavy concentration can be difficult to focus on and, especially in
the case of driving, prove to be dangerous!
Lack of sleep can also lead to an increase in mood swings and irritability, affecting
social interactions and personal relationships as well.
While it may seem like a good idea to chug a can of Monster to finish that project last
minute, your body, brain, and friends will be better off if you just handle business
during normal waking hours.
Number 9.
Medication Interaction Since a smorgasbord of ingredients form a
wall of text along the side of nearly every canned energy drink, it can be difficult to
track what exactly is entering your body.
You might want to pay attention, though, as this can prove to be incredibly hazardous
should you be taking prescribed medications.
Some common ingredients like ginkgo biloba can mix terribly with blood thinners and antidepressants
as they often have similar effects that can prove harmful when compounded.
Yerba mate has shown to cause migraines, increased heart rate and anxiousness when taken with
medications like antibiotics and estrogens.
And there are dozens of other ingredients with equally questionable interactions!
Number 8.
Type 2 Diabetes Sugar is a prominent problem for those struggling
with weight loss, and few refreshments pack a sweeter punch than energy drinks.
The average soda contains around 39 grams of sugar per drink, while most energy drinks
nearly double that amount.
A high sugar intake can do more than help pack on the pounds, though.
Studies show that too many sweets can lead to developing type two diabetes, which inhibits
your body's ability to break down and burn sugar properly.
Some of the symptoms of diabetes include fatigue, blurred vision, slower wound recovery, increased
hunger and thirst, and extreme weight fluctuation.
More than three million cases of type two diabetes are recorded per year with millions
more at risk, due mostly to poor dietary habits.
Number 7.
Risky Behavior Stretched across the uniforms of motocross
riders and professional skateboarders around the world are the logos of all the major energy
drink companies.
Since their rise in popularity, energy drinks have often been associated with intensity,
extremity, and high risk acts of daring.
However, this union in marketing may be more than just simple coincidence.
One study made it into The Journal of American College Health showing that teenagers had
a much higher likelihood of attempting dangerous feats when under the influence of caffeine.
Accidents resulting in injury due to questionable acts like high-risk stunts, pranks, and sports
are a common issue with young energy drink consumers.
But bodily harm isn't the only issue as acts of vandalism, trespassing, or other delinquent
crimes can land teenage caffeine drinkers into bouts of legal trouble as well!
Number 6.
Anxiety Nervousness and shaking due to so much energy
is one thing, but true anxiety is another beast entirely.
A response to stress, anxiety is more than just jitters in the face of what's to come,
more so verging on the feeling of dread and fear.
One study performed by the collaborative efforts of various university-funded psychiatric researchers
found a direct correlation between anxiety and caffeine in some patients that possess
a specific genetic variation of a neural receptor.
These neural receptors, called adenosine receptors, regulate sleepiness and caffeine interacts
with them to keep you awake.
But interacting with those born with a slightly different receptor can induce such strong
bouts of anxiety that one might even experience a panic attack!
Number 5.
Stomach Issues A jolt of energy from a dose of caffeine may
wake the brain for a bit, but it also runs the chance of shocking your stomach.
Caffeine from any source can cause inflammation of the stomach's inner lining, along with
abdominal pain and heartburn.
These symptoms can worsen when combined with the sparkling fizz of carbonated drinks.
Energy drinks tend to increase the acidity in the stomach, sending the effects of heartburn
over the edge.
Serious vomiting can result which leads to dehydration and, if occurring often enough,
erosion of the esophagus and teeth due to all of the acid.
That's not the worst of it, though, as gastritis is also another digestion problem associated
with energy drinks, in which those afflicted suffer bleeding, intense pain, and ulcerations
in the stomach and small intestine!
Number 4.
Niacin Overdose One of the most common ingredients in energy
drinks is the organic compound known as Niacin , or Vitamin B3.
This vitamin is often prescribed to treat high cholesterol and in controlled amounts
it can have great beneficial effects like reducing the risk of heart attack.
But too much of any vitamin can be harmful and the same applies to Niacin . Overdosing
on this compound can result in a wide range of symptoms, including flushed skin, an increased
heart rate, itching, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea and even gout!
One case study, as published in the British Journal of Medicine, even tells of one 50-year-old
man contracting non viral hepatitis due to toxic levels of Niacin in his system.
The cause of these elevated vitamin B3 levels?
The report stated he drank an astounding 4 to 5 energy drinks a day for three weeks straight!
Number 3.
Stress Hormone Release Feelings of heightened energy and relief aren't
the only emotions triggered by energy drink consumption.
A study from 2015 showed that energy drinks can elicit the release of a hormone called
norepinephrine which can affect regions of the brain dealing with attention and response
time.
This hormone deals with stress specifically, and its release is attributed to evoking an
increased heart rate and blood flow to skeletal muscles.
This triggers the fight-or-flight response in humans, a reaction typically associated
with a sense of foreboding danger.
In the study, subjects that drank a type of Rockstar energy drink with a 240-milligram
caffeine content experienced a 74 percent increase in norepinephrine levels, while those
that drank a placebo experienced a 31 percent increase instead.
Number 2.
Military Findings The United States Military ran a study that
was published in the winter of 2018 that showed a peculiar side effect in soldiers.
Soldiers who reported to have high energy drink use showed signs of mental health issues,
fatigue, and aggressive behavior.
The study concluded that moderation and warnings of the potential negative risks associated
with energy drinks, especially its "paradoxical association with fatigue", should be clearly
communicated with troops.
Among the mental health problems reported by service members being examined were conditions
like depression, alcohol misuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Future studies by the US military will look to examine the long-term relation to these
variables in detail, along with how energy drink use and resulting symptoms correlate
with deployment.
Number 1.
Cardiac Arrest While it might normally take dozens of cans
to reach a lethal amount of caffeine, which is about 10 grams, energy drinks can pose
a much higher risk to those with heart complications.
Factors like age and weight also play a huge role in determining how much of an energy
drink is safe to ingest.
Consumers have shown signs of increased QTc intervals, a warning sign of abnormal heart
rhythms.
In one case a 22 year old woman suffered a cardiac arrest at a nightclub after consuming
6 cans of energy drinks in 4 hours.
Her bloodtests for alcohol and other substances were negative.