Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are becoming more and more popular, with more and more people inquiring about them.  Red Bull was the first of the energy drinks, distributed in the US in 1997.  While Jolt Cola was around in the 1980s, it was a soft drink with extra caffeine rather than a true "energy drink."

And now there is 5-Hour Energy, AMP, Battery, Blue Energy, Cocaine (it's a drink..), Duff, Full Throttle, Monster, NOS, Rockstar, Vault, and Wired  + 100 more.

What is in an energy drink?  The best way to describe it is a half soft drink and half supplement.  The main two ingredients are sugar and caffeine.  A typical energy drink contains about 80 milligrams of caffeine (about the same amount as a cup of coffee).

But there are many common ingredients in energy drinks:

B-vitamins: a group of vitamins that can convert sugar to energy and improve muscle tone.

Carnitine: an amino acid that plays a role in fatty acid metabolism.

Creatine: an organic acid that helps supply energy for muscle contractions.

Ginseng: a root believed to have health benefits, such as reducing stress and boosting energy levels.

Guarana seed: a stimulant that comes from a small shrub native to Venezuela and Brazil.

Inositol: a compound synthesized by the body helps relay messages within cells in the body.

Taurine: a natural amino acid produced by the body that helps regular heart beat and muscle contractions (Many health experts aren't sure what effect it has as a drink additive).

Caffeine is a stimulant and consuming a lot of it can lead to heart palpitations, anxiety and insomnia.  It is also a diuretic; it causes the kidneys to remove extra fluid through the urine.  Exercise and alcohol should not be combined with energy drinks because they can cause severe dehydration. 

Energy drinks should only be used in moderation, and are not recommended for children, adolescents or during pregnancy.