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The Reality of Energy Drinks

By Madison Headen

 

The usage of energy drinks is a growing trend among teens and young adults. College students in particular are a common target for energy drink marketing. Many college campuses have ambassadors for brands such as Red Bull, Monster, and Bang. These ambassadors hold events where they give out free drinks to students. This tactic makes students more likely to buy the product because of caffeine’s addictive quality, bringing in lots of revenue for the companies. However, the negative side effects associated with high caffeine intake are not advertised nearly as well as the products are. Most adolescents don’t know much about the impact that energy drinks can have on their health, nor do they know how much caffeine their bodies can handle.

There are many side effects associated with the consumption of energy drinks. Common ones include anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, and dehydration. In some cases, caffeine consumption can cause elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Another common issue with energy drinks is that when mixed with alcohol, they can mask the feeling of intoxication. Therefore, adolescents don’t know how intoxicated they actually are and this can lead to binge drinking. Studies have shown that mixing alcoholic beverages with energy drinks has led to more hospitalizations and drinking-related injuries in teens and young adults.

The caffeine in energy drinks can increase alertness and enhance some physical performance, but overall, studies have shown that it has no significant effect on academic performance. A study that had two groups of students (one that consumed energy drinks and one that had not consumed any caffeinated drinks) take a series of academic tests proved that energy drinks did not play a role in academic performance. Both groups had the same average score proving that while one group might have been more alert than the other, it did not aid them in performing better on the exam.

Since caffeine is so addictive, it is recommended that young adults drink coffee instead of energy drinks. 8 oz. of coffee has 15 mg of caffeine compared to energy drinks that can contain up to 400 mg of caffeine depending on the brand and the size of the drink. Coffee can keep us alert without producing the side effects to the extent that energy drinks do. Coffee also has some positive health effects. Coffee can lead to an increase in stimulatory neurotransmitters, promoting brain function. Coffee is also a good source of antioxidants. In addition, coffee may play a role in preventing the onset of certain diseases such as Parkinson’s, Type II Diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Energy drinks are an abused substance in the United States. Teens and young adults must be educated on how to make better lifestyle choices so that they will not be susceptible to the negative effects that energy drinks can have on them. If there was a larger existence of health education in the United States, the consumption of energy drinks would most likely decrease because teens and young adults would choose to drink coffee as a healthier alternative.

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