Are energy drinks safe for health?

Do these drinks give us wings? It is not uncommon for many people to end up in the emergency room after excessive consumption of energy drinks. Originally designed for athletes, these "natural dietary supplements" aim to increase performance and endurance during exercise. However, they have become extremely popular with the general public, who use them uncontrollably to "get rid" of fatigue. Unfortunately, they are also used by teenagers and students very often, mixed with alcoholic beverages, to form the fatal cocktail.

The basic ingredients in these drinks are: caffeine, sugar and taurine, a combination that seems to make them more effective than plain coffee. And as to break another myth, taurine is not what we all imagine (bull urine) . Although the name is confusing, taurine is actually a type of aminoacid that our body also produces according to its needs, and which is involved in several metabolic processes: the formation of bile acids, cellular hydration and maintenance of electrolyte balance, or the normal functioning of the central nervous system.

So it works, right?

Ei bine, cafeina, zahărul și celelalte ingrediente puse la un loc ne pot da acel ‘boost’ de energie pe care ni-l dorim, dar cât de sănătos este pentru organism? Eu zic să ne întrebăm când simțim nevoia de o băutură energizantă mai întâi…

1. When we get sleep deprived and we only need a few hours to finish that awful project?

2. When it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon and blood sugar levels drop so much that we need an overdose of sugar so we don't fall asleep with our heads on the keyboard?

3. Before a workout to increase endurance?

4. Or when we have cravings, maybe we become addicted to the taste and effect of energy drinks ?…

Well, all the highlighted points are nothing but stressors for the body, modern man trying to escape the natural means: enough sleep, balanced diet, constant training and controlled mental health.

And what are their effects on the body?

Although the effect seems to be energizing us, this type of drink increases blood pressure by 5 points more than coffee, within 90 minutes of consuming a single dose. This is because, in addition to caffeine, energy drinks also contain other hidden elements that again contain… caffeine. Ah, piece of cake, the heart can take more than that! Yes, but that also means a 12% higher risk of heart attack and a 20% higher risk of having a stroke. That's why, people who already have heart problems need to be careful.

Moreover, energy drinks do not seem to increase physical endurance, but inflammation in the body . These are the results of several specialized studies, which indicate that athletes who were given energy drinks before training did not increase muscle endurance, but created more inflammatory factors than if they drank a simple… coffee with sugar.

In addition to caffeine and other specific ingredients, these energy drinks contain a lot of sugar, instantly increasing blood sugar and make you feel energized in the short term, stressing your body to its full potential and hurting you in the long run. A glycemic spike occurs, and after it decreases, the state of fatigue and hunger returns.

Recommendations

• When you feel weak, eat a sweet fruit, or drink natural fruit and vegetable juices for an energy boost;
• Drink a cup of green tea or quality coffee, as little roasted as possible, without milk or sugar, if you do not have problems with blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, I advise you to avoid caffeine in any form!
• Avoid energy drinks and coffee if you are pregnant . Caffeine metabolism in pregnant women is slowed down, and caffeine enters directly through the placenta to the fetus.
• ‘Dance like it’s the last time!’ If you’re home, put the music on and move your body. Movement helps you get rid of cravings and fatigue;
• Drink beet and green leaves juice before running, or going to the gym, to increase your physical endurance. Unlike energy drinks, vegetables and fruits are rich in nitric oxide, responsible for regulating blood pressure, cellular oxygenation, athletic performance and euphoria ;
• The body loves simplicity ! Everything that is processed, even if it does not affect us in the short term, leaves its mark on our long-term health. Should we risk just because the immediate effects of these drinks are not dramatic?