Energy Drinks Experiment

• Determine under what conditions each of the “energy drinks” might be useful to the consumer.

Energy drinks are comprised of the following primary ingredients: caffeine, sugar, ginseng, taurine, and guarana. Caffeine is the most commonly used legal drug in the world that does not discriminate among the races, ethnicity, or gender groups. Babu et al. (2008) stated that a lethal dose of caffeine in a healthy adult can range from 5 - 10 g with 9 - 28 mg of caffeine per ounce in an energy drink (Rath, 2012). The human body does not block caffeine. The body acts like a sponge and absorbs caffeine and then quickly distributes it throughout the body (Rath, 2012). Individuals have the tendency to excessively consume caffeine. The caffeine when combined with sugar can cause psychological and physiological effects in people such as mild to moderate euphoria. Drinking one energy drink is not considered excessive. Drinking two or more drinks in a day is considered excessive.

In the past few years, according to Diana Koelliker from Telluride Medical , a number of energy drinks have entered the market to provide all of us with a quick boost of energy, easily. These drinks usually contain high levels of caffeine and other additives that act as stimulants. Sometimes we need the extra pick me up to get us through the rest of the day or to help us stay awake while studying for an exam. So, what better way to do that then to grab a Red Bull or a Monster? Well studies have shown that energy drinks just may not be our best option.

Despite all the controversy, most people can agree how useful a jolt of extra energy can be some days. Energy drinks can help a doctor be more alert during surgery during a graveyard-shift, help college students get that “A” they have been working towards all semester, or keep police officers vigilant and energized on the job. There’s no way of knowing exactly how many college students that graduated owe their diploma to caffeine, but it sure didn’t hurt to be able to pull all-nighters while being alert. People that enjoy exercise can lift-weights or do cardio way more effectively by drinking one before the work-out. Energy drinks are not only safe but they are making people more effective workers, students, or athletes.

(Graham, 1998) This shows the importance of caffeine in endurance sports such as cycling, running, and soccer which require a great deal of physical stamina in order to compete successfully. Studies also show that caffeine has very little affect on athletes requiring quick burst of energy such as sprinters and swimmers. Also caffeine has been known to decrease fatigue in athletes, which plays a physical as well as psychological role in the performance of an athlete.

This study focuses on the effects of ingested caffeinated energy drink compared to placebo in three different sports, rugby, soccer, and volleyball. Each sport had a dissimilar number of participants, including male and female. The effects were analyzed under different circumstances in each sport performed. A few materials were used during the activities to monitor precisely the changes in all participants’ bodies. This study illustrates significant positive changes and improvement in all participants’ performances when they ingested a caffeinated energy drink.

Ever since Red Bull entered the market in 1997, there's been a boost in the sales of these caffeinated energy drinks. These are marketed to increase energy, aid weight loss, improve stamina, concentration, and athletic performance, some even claim to give you superpowers. But not a slight hint is given to the consumers about the high caffeine amounts in them which can lead to serious consequences in both adults and

(Citations, expert) The International Journal of Health Sciences says there are many potential adverse effects of energy drinks in relation to their ingredients such as:

Caffeine is a very popular stimulant among athletes because most believe that it provides energy, increases alertness, and quickens reaction time. When in beverage form,

People around the world drink energy drinks on a daily basis not knowing of the ingredients and how they affect your body. more than 200 milligrams of caffeine can be dangerous, and energy drinks can include up to 500mg

Caffeine, however, is the most common stimulant. “Caffeine is the most widely used drug on the planet and has been used for centuries for its stimulating effects” (energy fiend.com). Most energy drinks contain between seventy to two hundred milligrams of caffeine each. For example, a full can of Rockstar contains one hundred sixty milligrams of caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, which gives the body a jolt of their senses, making them more alert. The use of caffeine can dehydrate the body and raise blood pressure and heart rate. Symptoms can commonly occur from consuming caffeine such as, heart palpitations, headaches, nausea, and the jitters. Taurine is an amino acid that is naturally produced by the body. Our body usually creates enough of this so you do not need a supplement. It is said to help with regulating the heart beat, energy and muscle contractions. A long time ago the use of taurine was banned in certain countries, but that ban has been lifted. The ingredient gaurana comes from a plant in South America. Some people say that gaurana works better than caffeine for an energy boost, but there are not many statistics on the fact. The last of the five common ingredients is all of the B vitamins that are used. These vitamins are pretty much the items that help you transform food into energy. The Vitamins B6 and B12 do not absorb well when you swallow them. Typically the amounts of B vitamins used in most of the energy drinks will have no

Sylvia Nena (2011) also stated that “Manufactures of these products claim to increase energy, endurance, burn fat and improve athletic performance. According to experts, many of them state that it is untrue that energy drink helps to increase energy. This is due to drugs that can be found in the drinks such as caffeine. Caffeine with high levels of consuming can cause some problems to the human body like palpitations, hypertension, vomiting, convulsions and even worst heart failure which can lead to death. Roland Griffiths (2012) a caffeine specialist said that high caffeine in use by young people can cause a cycle of rushes and crashes that can add “a degree of variance to their moods and psychological well-being that they don’t really need. Joao Breda(2014) from WHO’s Europe wrote that caffeine has a proven negative effect on

Energy drinks are a growing commodity among individuals who desires a boost of energy for various reasons. In today's fast paced society, most people are looking for a way to increase endurance and stamina. Many suffer from a lack of energy to get them through daily responsibilities. This is why many have turned to energy drinks as a means for extra fuel. These quick pick-me-ups promise to give an energy boost that lasts for hours.

There have been very few studies on energy drinks or their ingredients. “Dr. Craig A. Goodman, could not find any trials in humans of the additive, glucuronolactone,” That is used in energy drinks. Dr. Goodman stated “I have no idea what it does in energy drinks.” Taisho executives used Lipovitan D in their products, but “acknowledged they had not run a single clinical study involving Lipovitan D.” There are no studies proving that energy drinks have any extra benefits.

The type of ingredients used to create the well enjoyed beverages are also factors commonly considered when making the difficult decision of which drink to choose. Caffeineinformer.com explains how the ingredients in energy drinks including: taurine, guarana, B vitamins, ginseng, L-carnitine, antioxidants, sugars, artificial sweeteners, and many more effect on the body. Many doubt the need for