8 Real Dangers of Energy Drinks
That short term boost can come with crazy side effects
There are serious health risks associated with energy drinks. Yet, because of aggressive marketing campaigns and product placement, everyone is sold on the idea that energy drinks are harmless.
But what’s actually in these drinks? And why do they make some people sick enough to end up in the emergency room?
Most of the cooler section in the local convenience store is loaded with energy drinks. Advertising shows our sports heroes holding them. Billboards, signs on buses, full page magazine ads. You see pictures of energy drinks everywhere.
The symbol for the Monster energy drink is plastered on everything. You can see the stickers on car windows, laptop lids, and school notebooks. It’s no wonder little kids want them.
People proudly display energy drink tattoos on their bodies to show their undying worship of Monsters and Red Bulls.
We should be careful whenever something has this kind of cultish hold on society. They are a quick fix that can have terrible side effects. Here are some of the possible risks you face with overconsumption of energy drinks.
#8: Addiction
Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine. Some may contain as much as 500 mg per can. To put that in perspective, a 12 oz. can of Pepsi has about 38 mg, and a really strong cup of coffee is around 95 mg.
This means one energy drink’s caffeine load could be equal to as many as 12 cans of Pepsi, depending on the brand and size of serving.
Just one energy drink can have as much as 5 cups of coffee’s worth in caffeine. With some of us drinking 2 or more cans a day, we could be getting the caffeine equivalent of 10 to 15 cups of coffee, or 24 cans of Pepsi.
24 cans of Pepsi!
Becoming an addict at these levels of stimulant is a no-brainer.
#7: Mental Health Problems
Not only do energy drinks have way too much caffeine, but they also contain substances such as sugar, ginseng, guarana and taurine in high amounts. The combination can cause you to develop mental health issues.
The US military noticed enough problems with energy drinks that they decided to study its effects. Here’s some of their conclusions:
“High energy drink use was reported by one in six soldiers and was significantly related to mental health problems, aggressive behaviors, and fatigue” — Energy Drink Use in U.S. Service Members After Deployment, from Oxford Academic- Military Medicine
If the army thinks you are getting too aggressive, then that’s probably a warning sign. Slow down on the drinks!
#6: Anxiety, jitters, nervousness
Too much caffeine can cause rapid breathing and high stress levels. You might feel shaky and nervous. Your stomach might be in distress.
Your mind can race and your entire nervous system can be on edge. This will interfere with your daily tasks and prevent you from being able to relax.
All of this can result from even one energy drink. It’s the equivalent of several cups of coffee, after all.
What happens if you have 3 or more energy drinks in a day? You could vibrate fast enough to become insubstantial and go through walls like Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat in the X-men.)
#5: Insomnia
Our bodies need rest. Sleeping is the only way to recharge the batteries. An energy drink habit can ruin your sleep.
Caffeine is known to cause alertness and keep people awake. That’s one of the reasons we reach for it first thing in the morning.
But with the levels you get in an energy drink, it won’t get used up before the end of the day. You’ll still be flying.
Some cocktails contain energy drinks. Vodka Red Bull and Jägerbomb, I’m looking at you. If you pound a couple of these before you hit the sack, your body has way too much caffeine to be able to sink into a good sleep.
Energy drinks won’t help you sleep. Period.
#4: Headaches and Migraines
For some people, energy drinks can trigger some really bad head pains. If you have had a migraine before, you know that it just isn’t worth it.
You might also suffer withdrawal symptoms, or caffeine rebound. As your body valiantly tries to deal with those large doses of stimulants, levels in the bloodstream drop. A headache starts coming on.
One of the ways people will counteract the pain is to grab another energy drink. This just keeps the cycle going and leads to a massive energy crash.
#3: High blood pressure and heart palpitations
The combination of stimulants in these drinks causes blood pressure to rise and the heart rhythm is affected. This can be dangerous even for young, healthy individuals with no pre-existing conditions.
There might not be immediate effect, but think about what an extended period of high blood pressure can do to you. It’s like giving yourself a cardiovascular disease if you drink energy drinks daily.
The whole circulatory system is pressurized beyond it’s regular operating conditions.
The needle is in the red.
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association looked at the effects of energy drinks on the heart and blood pressure in young, healthy people. Here’s a link: Impact of High Volume Energy Drink Consumption on Electrocardiographic and Blood Pressure Parameters.
Their conclusion was that effects of drinking 32 oz. of energy drink lasted up to 4 hours, with an increase in blood pressure as well as altering the electrical stimulus to the heart. That explains why some consumers of these drinks develop heart palpitations.
#2: Stroke or brain hemorrhage
This is where things start to get life threatening. A stroke is nothing to play around with.
After putting an energy drink down the hatch, you could end up with Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS.) This is the condition that could trigger a stroke.
We typically don’t picture someone in their 20’s to 40’s having a stroke. Most of us think of a dude pushing a walker, or leaning on a cane. But energy drink overconsumption can give strokes to young fellers or ladies.
Some people who have a stroke and only partially recover full use, while others may even die.
A warning sign that you are suffering from RCVS could be if you get a Thunderclap Headache, which is an intense, sudden and debilitating skull cramp. Tingling, numbness or seizures are some other symptoms from RCVS.
You could also have stomach upset or woof your cookies.
If you get one of these thunderclap headaches, seek medical attention. This could be a sign that something is very wrong. It is sometimes caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, with internal bleeding. Get help immediately.
#1: Cardiac Arrest
With elevated blood pressure and heart arrhythmia or palpitations, it is possible to go into cardiac arrest. The ingredients in energy drinks is proven to cause a rise in blood pressure as well as altered electrical signaling to the heart.
Prolonged overconsumption of these drinks is implicated in several deaths, although it isn’t always conclusive. There may have been other factors, including genetics.
However, we know the energy drinks did not make these individuals healthier. They most certainly contributed to their illness.
Take precautions
Energy drinks are not regulated very well. It’s a free-for-all, with teenagers and children downing energy drinks on a daily basis. It’s definitely hard on a growing body.
For adults, an occasional energy drink might not be too harmful. Everything in moderation. But it’s clear that a daily habit of these beverages is bad for your health.
If all you need is a quick pick me up after a late night, maybe stop at Starbuck’s instead. Your heart will thank you.
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