Do You Know Your Drink

Do You Know Your Drink?

This blog will tell you about all the types of ENERGY DRINKS and how does they work and affect your health and immunity system.

To know about energy drinks in depth, we have to know the basic work and meaning of energy drinks.

What are Energy Drinks?

Any beverage that contains high stimulant such as sugar and caffeine and other supplements as well, are known to be as ENERGY DRINKS.

Energy Drinks does exactly what its name implies- it increases the energy of an individual by giving an extra burst of energy. Sugar and caffeine are the two main ingredients that help the energy drinks to provide actual energy.

Typically an energy drink can contain upto 80 mg of Caffeine. Energy drinks are widely promoted as products that increase energy and enhance mental alertness and physical performance.

Are Energy Drinks Good or Bad for You?

Energy drinks are intended to boost your energy, alertness and concentration.

People of all ages consume them and they continue to grow in popularity.

But some health professionals have warned that energy drinks may have harmful consequences, which has led many people to question their safety.

Energy drinks also typically contain several other ingredients. A few of the most common ingredients other than caffeine are listed below:

• Sugar: Usually the main source of calories in energy drinks, although some do not contain sugar and are low-carb friendly.
• B vitamins: Play an important role in converting the food you eat into energy your body can use.
• Amino acid derivatives: Examples are taurine and L-carnitine. Both are naturally produced by the body and have roles in several biological processes.
• Herbal extracts: Guarana is likely included to add more caffeine, while ginseng may have positive effects on brain function.

Energy Drinks and its affect on your body?

• Energy Drinks can improve Brain Function.
• Energy Drinks may help people function when they're tired.
• Energy Drinks may cause Heart Problems in some.
• Some varieties are loaded with Sugar.
• Mixing Energy Drinks and Alcohol has serious health risks.

Should Children or Teenagers are allowed to consume Energy Drinks?

An estimated 31% of children aged 12–17 regularly consume energy drinks.

However, according to recommendations published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2011, energy drinks should not be consumed by children or teenagers 

Their reasoning is that the caffeine found in energy drinks places children and teenagers at risk of becoming dependent or addicted to the substance, and may also have negative effects on the developing heart and brain.

Experts also set caffeine limits for these ages, recommending that teenagers consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine daily and children consume less than 1.14 mg of caffeine per pound (2.5 mg/kg) of their own body weight per day.

This is equivalent to about 85 mg of caffeine for a 75-pound (34-kg) child 12 years of age or younger.

Depending on an energy drink's brand and container size, it would not be difficult to exceed these caffeine recommendations with just one can.

Finally it concludes..

• A growing body of scientific evidence shows that energy drinks can have serious health effects, particularly in children, teenagers, and young adults.
• In several studies, energy drinks have been found to improve physical endurance, but there’s less evidence of any effect on muscle strength or power. Energy drinks may enhance alertness and improve reaction time, but they may also reduce steadiness of the hands. 
• The amounts of caffeine in energy drinks vary widely, and the actual caffeine content may not be identified easily. Some energy drinks are marketed as beverages and others as dietary supplements. There’s no requirement to declare the amount of caffeine on the label of either type of product.