You don’t have to look very hard these days to find a
plethora of energy drinks within easy reach.
Every gas station, grocery store, local convenience store and even
supplement stores carry them.
People seem to be guzzling them by the gallon for a variety
of reasons including before their regular workouts. Sure they might give you a blast of extra
energy, but how much damage are they doing?
These drinks almost always contain caffeine, the highest at
the equivalent of 2.5 – 3 cups of coffee per can or bottle. Some also contain other ingredients such as
guarana which also contains caffeine.
While the average person may consume 1-3 cups of coffee per day, this
doesn’t really seem like a lot, keep in mind you’re getting that amount in one
dose (all at once) with energy drinks.
Now if you combine this with your daily tea, coffee, etc. the amounts you are consuming quickly begin
to climb. There have also been concerns raised by a number of researchers that
the actual amount of caffeine in these energy drinks is often not accurately
represented on the label and may actually contain more caffeine than they
suggest.
It has also long been known that caffeinated beverages are
dehydrating. It’s recommended that you
drink 2-3 8oz. glasses of water per serving of caffeinated drink to counteract
these effects. Excess caffeine has also
been linked to heart palpitations in those who are sensitive to it, or even in those
who unknowingly consume more than they realize.
Not to mention drinking them before exercise when you will already be
elevating your heart rate and losing water due to sweating may not be wise. Now, throw in a ton of sugar, synthetic vitamins,
chemicals (and who knows what else) and you have a concoction that no
health conscious person would touch.
Physicians and health organizations have been sounding the
alarm over other health concerns that are directly linked to the regular
consumption of energy drinks. These include:
high blood pressure, agitation, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea,
gastro-intestinal pain, moderate to severe sleep disruptions, increased rate of tooth decay, and the
erosion of tooth enamel. The effects of
energy drinks combined with alcohol can be catastrophic and there have also been
fatalities in individuals with heart conditions and un-diagnosed heart
conditions. Some other serious concerns
have been raised recently with regards to the use of energy drinks by children
and teens as well, as they are easily accessible and unregulated.
So if you’re a huge fan of energy drinks and I’ve just
completely ruined your day, sorry! (not to kick you while you’re down but
so-called sports drinks aren’t great for you either) But next time you plan on
reaching for an energy drink, give a second thought to your health and try
something more natural. Here’s a little
tip: I’ve heard even pro athletes swear
by eating a banana before a workout.
Bananas contain potassium, give you energy, they promote better
digestion, contain vitamins that help
balance your mood (as opposed to giving you the shakes) and best of all they
come in their very own organic carrying case, devoid of plastic or aluminum!
Well, that’s it for now. Thanks for reading & hope you have
a great workout J
Produced by Ron & Kathleen Zalko
