The Chemistry Of Energy Drinks

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.

Once you consume an energy drink your whole body is affected including you brain, your bloodstream, your heart, and your skin. Energy drinks are really bad for you if you drink it a lot; they say it could affect how you work out because energy drinks lead to sugar crashes. You don’t want to work out and in the middle of your work out, you get tired all of the sudden, if you drink one after you work out you would just get tired and you will start to crash. My opinion you should not drink energy drinks at all while working out. The things they put in it, it’s just not worth drinking it during your work out

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.

Caffeine is a natural central nervous system stimulant. It is considered a drug that if is overly consumed can be dangerous for one’s body. Caffeine is a temporary energy booster that improves mood and alertness for most people, mainly athletes. It can be an eye-opener in the morning, could be drunk or eaten on practice brakes, and for some, it just became a habit that they cannot go through a day without a cup of coffee before exiting their doorways. Furthermore, it requires good health and stamina for athletes to perform throughout the game, particularly the one in teams,

(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:

The nervous system is the first to use it as a stimulant, however the risk of too much, or too little, can cause anxiety attacks, confusion, and hallucinations. Next, it travels to your stomach, which can be extremely dangerous if you ingest too much, caffeine rises the stomach acid amount. The term used by (Healthline Networks, Inc.) is diuretic, which triggers your body to get rid of water. After the caffeine is absorbed through your stomach it enters the bloodstream, which gives you the short burst of jittery-ness and irregular heartbeat increase. Caffeine truly reaches all parts of your body, causing the effect to last longer with higher

Written by Kathleen Woolf and Amber R. Brown, the article “Energy Drinks: What’s the Buzz”, informs the reader about basic information considering energy drinks. It introduces the subject by stating American’s new desire to consume energy drinks. Targeting mainly teenagers and young adults, energy drinks are known to increase mental energy and performance. As defined in the article, energy drinks are “beverages that contain sugar, caffeine and other stimulants.” Caffeine is said to be the dominant ingredient in energy drinks with ranges of 80 milligrams (mg) up to 300mg. Additionally, these energy drinks also contain several other stimulants including Guarana. Guarana is an herbal stimulant which enhances the effects of caffeine, raising the

The world’s most popular drug is legal, inexpensive, and believed to amplify workouts. It supposedly motivates athletes and helps them stay alert and focused while also boosting physical endurance by twenty to fifty percent. This stimulant is found naturally in sixty-three plants and is consumed by eighty percent of Americans. This white, bitter, crystalline substance is known as caffeine, and is commonly consumed in efforts to enhance athletic ability (http://gopher1.bu.edu/COHIS/substance/caffeine/about.htm).

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 bad for everyone’s health because it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cause energy crashes, and insomnia.

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.

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