Energy drink ads are colorful and original. Manufacturers promise that their compositions will inspire the consumer, fill them with strength, turn either into Carlson or Superman. Power engineers are really able to help a student learn the material of the whole semester a few nights before the exam, a minibus driver or a truck driver - almost around the clock to drive a car in difficult conditions, a frequenter of discos - to dance all night long, and go to work or study in the morning.

However, doctors are less optimistic: as the popularity of energy drinks grows, serious diseases of the vessels, liver, pancreas, and nervous system become much younger. To understand the benefits and harms of energy drinks, let's look at their composition.

Types of power engineers

There are two main types of energy drinks (stimulants):

non-alcoholic;
low alcohol.

Non-alcoholic and low-alcohol energy drinks may contain:

caffeine, theine, mateine are alkaloids. Substances tone up, stimulate the brain, increase blood pressure, muffle the feeling of hunger;
theobromine is an extract from cocoa beans. It is an alkaloid similar in action to caffeine;
taurine - participates in metabolic processes, affects the lowering of blood glucose and blood pressure;
extracts of ginseng, guarana, lemongrass, echinacea - plants that are traditionally used in folk medicine to strengthen the body and quickly restore strength;
carnitine - accelerates fat metabolism and increases appetite;
melatonin - a hormone that regulates the frequency of sleep and affects the endocrine system;
vitamins of group B - substances that strengthen the walls of blood vessels and are necessary for the correct transmission of signals between neurons;
sweeteners and other flavorings, flavorings, food colorings, preservatives.

In addition to stimulants, isotonics (sports catalysts) are available for sale, designed for athletes who need to replenish their strength after training. Isotonics are a mixture of salts, vitamins and flavorings, powdered or diluted in water.

Features of non-alcoholic energy drinks

By carefully studying the composition of non-alcoholic energy drinks, we can conclude that they consist of some useful products. The problem is that there are too many of these substances in drinks (often several daily doses) and they combine in a very bizarre way. It is impossible to predict in advance how the body will react to a shock dose of compounds, some of which increase pressure, others lower it, and others stimulate the endocrine system. Carbonic acid, which is a mandatory part of drinks, accelerates their absorption into the bloodstream and enhances the effect. Due to the high content of sweeteners, blood sugar immediately rises.

All ingredients of energy drinks increase efficiency by releasing hidden reserves of the body. The benefits of energy drinks to the body are about the same as from an artificial increase in the frequency of the processor - to the computer. The processor is easy to overclock, but it will burn out much faster after that.

Alkaloids (caffeine, mateine, theobromine) are gradually addictive. A lover of energy drinks has a decrease in the natural production of adrenaline, as a result, a person, without drinking a tonic drink, feels lethargic, overwhelmed. Too large amounts of B vitamins contribute to irritability, in severe cases, hands begin to tremble, mental activity worsens. There is an addiction similar to a drug addiction.

Alcoholic energy drinks are addictive

Features of low-alcohol energy drinks

Low-alcohol energy drinks can contain up to 9% alcohol. This means that in a 250 ml aluminum can there is up to 22.5 ml of pure ethanol, in terms of vodka almost 56 ml. The same energy bank with a strength of 5% is equivalent to 31 ml of vodka.

Alcohol only at the very beginning invigorates, after 45 - 60 minutes it has a sedative effect. The tonic substances of the energy drink work for 2-3 hours. There is a neutralization of two effects: excitatory and inhibitory. Even a healthy body can barely cope with such a load, but a person who begins to fall asleep drinks a new portion of energy drinks.

Excessive addiction to low-alcohol energy drinks is a direct path to alcoholism. A person who consciously consumes strong drinks usually observes the culture of drinking: he drinks a little, savoring, snacks, tries not to exceed his own norm. But alcohol is almost not felt in energy drinks, their lover drinks can after can.

It must be remembered that low-alcohol energy drinks are not means for stimulating performance, but alcoholic cocktails. In moderation, they are acceptable during parties and feasts. It is better to avoid low-alcohol energy drinks with caffeine, mateine and theobromine, these drinks are the most harmful.

How to choose the right energy

The benefits of energy drinks are very doubtful, but if you need to urgently restore strength, you must be guided by the following rules:

choose non-alcoholic energy drinks containing any one tonic: either caffeine (mateine, theobromine), or plant extracts. Energy drinks with natural herbal extracts are preferred;
you can not use more than 250-300 ml of energy per day;
maximum allowable monthly dose - 6 aluminum cans;
coffee, carbon dioxide and alcohol dehydrate the body. After drinking the energy drink, you need to drink at least 0.5 liters of water in several doses;
the daily norm of caffeine is no more than 300 ml (no more than 100-120 ml at a time). You need to carefully read how much caffeine is contained in the drink. Energy drinks should not be taken with coffee or chocolate;
choose energy drinks with a minimum content of dyes and flavors (these substances are carcinogenic).

Contraindications to the use of energy drinks

It is forbidden to drink any energy drinks in case of diseases:

of cardio-vascular system;
endocrine system (especially in diabetes);
gastrointestinal tract;
liver and kidneys;
nervous system.

Power engineers are an invention of the second half of the 20th century, and if desired, they can be easily replaced. For centuries, people have increased their efficiency by eating foods containing vitamin C: apples, citrus fruits. A mixture of apple, pumpkin and carrot juices gives you a boost of energy for the whole day. To overcome drowsiness, you can eat a chocolate bar, drink coffee or cocoa. If you want an unusual taste, then at a party it is better to order a cocktail with high-quality alcohol. Frequent artificial stimulation of the body with energy drinks is a threat to health.

Why are energy drinks harmful? This drink is a mixture of various stimulants. They represent a kind of danger to the human body.

And yet, why are energy drinks harmful? After all, it would seem that they contribute to improved performance. In fact, the harm and benefits of this product are unequal. This drink has outwardly positive aspects, but its components negatively affect people's health. You can find out how harmful energy drinks are by reading this article.

What is an energy drink?

Its use affects the central nervous system. Thus, it suppresses fatigue to prolong the time of wakefulness, increase mental activity for several hours. But this effect is temporary. After it, a decline in strength is observed in a person.

This drink consists of a mixture of substances. Some of them are positive, for example, vitamins, while others are very harmful. This will be discussed in more detail in the next section of the article.

About the composition of the drink

Today there are a huge number of types and manufacturers of this product. But their composition is practically no different.

The energy drink also contains ginseng and guarana. These natural extracts help cleanse the liver and remove lactic acid from the cells.

Matein in the composition of the drink helps to lose weight and dull the feeling of hunger. Glucose, sucrose and fructose are carbohydrates that keep a person awake and stimulate the brain. In addition, B vitamins are added here. They, in turn, are necessary for the normalization of the nervous system.

When comparing three energy drinks, such as Burn, Adrenaline Rush, Red Bull, we can say that the first option is the most high-calorie. It also contains the highest amount of caffeine and taurine.

How do drinks affect the body?

The positive effect of energy drinks is observed only at the beginning. It is at this moment that a person feels an increase in both physical and mental performance. After hyperactivity comes exhaustion. The human body after a shake is tired.

Also, the use of these products adversely affects sleep. Namely, people complain that it is very difficult for them to fall asleep and they are often tormented by nightmares. Because of such a bad rest, a person does not feel vivacity and a surge of strength.

So how bad are energy drinks? Frequent use of this kind of drinks leads to depression, suspiciousness and aggressiveness. Also, such people experience disorientation and irritability.

How bad are energy drinks? They can lead to organic lesions. There is an increase in blood sugar and blood pressure. A person has malfunctions in the work of the heart, as well as a decrease in the protective forces of immunity.

What is the danger of an overdose?

As you know, the drink contains taurine. Its amount exceeds the daily norm several times. Overdose can occur if energy drinks are consumed in excess. It is characterized by symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, gastritis and heart failure, abdominal pain and fever, arrhythmia and exacerbation of ulcers. Signs that may occur with an overdose also include hallucinations and frequent urination, fainting and confusion.

In this case, you need to seek help from a specialist. From all of the above, we can conclude that drinking energy drinks every day is harmful and dangerous. Therefore, do not test your health and body. Use these drinks only when absolutely necessary.

Why is energy dangerous?

A single drink in a moderate amount by an adult will not cause a negative reaction of the body. But you can't use it every day. Otherwise, it becomes hazardous to health.

So why are non-alcoholic energy drinks harmful? The use of this drink leads to disruption of the central nervous system, as well as the development of diabetes. This product is dangerous by the formation of various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and mental disorders.

In addition, people who regularly drink energy drinks experience a deterioration in attention and a loss of interest in life, a decrease in libido. Some of them cannot live a day without this drink, that is, in this case we are talking about addiction.

Also, this product adversely affects the work of the cardiovascular system and the heart. In addition, such patients most often develop diseases such as thrombosis and epilepsy.

Can teenagers use it? Why are energy drinks bad for kids? For them, the harm from this drink is more serious. Here they can be fatal. Therefore, in no case do not give your children such drinks. Based on how dangerous they are to the health of an adult, it’s not even worth talking about small ones.

What could be the consequences?

This is discussed if a person uses them regularly in his diet. Then the consequences can be dire.

People complain of frequent headaches and disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. The latter is expressed in the form of nausea and vomiting. Women in a position who abuse this kind of drink have miscarriages. In addition, accidents due to loss of consciousness, the development of various fears, loss of working capacity, suicidal behavior, hearing loss and convulsions are observed.

Also, some people develop mental abnormalities and arrhythmia. As a result of all this, death often occurs. This is due to the long and regular use of these drinks.

Who shouldn't use energy drinks?

In general, it is advisable not to use such drinks for anyone. But they are especially contraindicated in the first place for children and the fair sex in position, lactating women.

This category also includes the elderly, patients with chronic diseases, diabetics. Also, energy drinks should not be used by those who have diseases of the kidneys and heart, the central nervous system, and the gastrointestinal tract. The same goes for people with high blood pressure and glaucoma.

So which is more harmful: coffee or energy drinks? If the first version contains only caffeine, then in the second, such harmful substances as taurine, phenylalanine and melatonin are added to this component. Therefore, in this case, the energy drink is more harmful. But overdoing it with the amount of coffee drunk per day is also not worth it. This is especially true for people with a tendency to high blood pressure.

What are the benefits of drinking?

It also happens that energy drinks have a positive effect. But in this case we are talking about the moment when this drink is consumed in moderation and rarely. Sometimes mental labor of a person needs an additional reserve. For example, when you urgently need to finish some important work. Here you need to be careful and not overdo it with the drink.

Energy drinks will temporarily give a person strength and vigor, help relieve fatigue and improve thinking processes. Herbal ingredients and vitamins will add strength to muscles and internal organs.

The effect of drinking this drink will be much longer than from drinking a cup of coffee. But the latter does not contain such a large amount of harmful substances.

How to use energy drinks correctly?

If nevertheless it is necessary, then they should be consumed in limited quantities and not so often. This will avoid the negative impact of energy on the human body. As mentioned above, under no circumstances should it be given to adolescents, especially small children. Their growing organism is especially susceptible to the influence of harmful substances.

These drinks should not be consumed with alcohol. Otherwise, there may be an increase in blood pressure. Also, they can not be drunk in the heat. It is at this time that the vegetative and cardiovascular systems are fully functioning. The energy drink will help to warm up the body more. Also, it should not be consumed chilled. Because it will be harmful due to the temperature difference.

You can't use it after workouts either. Its use after exercise will lead to increased blood pressure and dehydration.

In order to avoid addiction, you should drink the energy drink no more than twice a week. These days you can use a couple of cans. But then you can not drink tea, coffee and other products that contain caffeine. These actions will help to avoid overdose.

After using the energy, a person receives a certain charge of vivacity and strength. But do not forget that this effect is temporary and the human body also needs a good rest. This is necessary in order to recover from additional stress.

What is more harmful?

In this section of the article, a comparison will be made of various types of drinks with the one under consideration.

What is more harmful - alcohol or energy drinks? It all depends on the rate of consumption of these drinks. So, red wine has a positive effect on the digestive tract and promotes the expansion of blood vessels. In addition, the latter become more elastic.

As a result, there is a decrease in the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system. It also improves appetite and mood. In this case, we are talking about moderate alcohol consumption. If you overdo it with it, then there will be poisoning of the body. A negative effect occurs on the liver and heart, as well as brain cells and intestines. Alcohol also replaces the water in the cells with "alcohol". As a result, the body ages. And the energy drink helps to produce the hormone adrenaline. Because of this, the wear and tear of the human body is also obtained.

In both cases, there is harm from excessive drinking. But alcohol is still less dangerous if used in moderation.

And what is more harmful - beer or energy drink? Much has been said about the last drink. The consequences of its use were also considered. Let's get back to beer. This product, due to its yeast effect, helps to improve digestion. But also don't forget about the expression "beer belly". This is due to the excessive consumption of this drink.

It is best to drink live unfiltered beer with a reduced content of ethyl alcohol. Both products have a common drawback: addiction. Also, the negative point of beer is that it speeds up blood flow. But when comparing the two products, we can say that the energy drink is more harmful. Since its consequences are considered dangerous to human health.

conclusions

Thus, "Flash" (energy) is harmful or not? When overused, of course, yes. It should be noted that the use of this drink is prohibited in some countries. If you need an extra amount of energy, then do not overdo it with energy drinks. Since there can be disastrous consequences, which were previously mentioned.

Cocaine is recognized as the most harmful energy drink. It contains three times more caffeine than a regular drink of this type. In the United States, where it was released, the sale of this product was banned. But still, on the Internet you can stumble upon offers of this type.

Do not risk your health, do not use energy drinks. And if this is necessary, then follow the rules for their use.

Energy drinks have become a lifesaver for students preparing for exams, office workers struggling to turn in their papers, fitness trainers striving to set a sports record, tired drivers and clubbers... in a word, for everyone who is tired, but should feel alert and full of energy.

Just one can of drink - and you have already shaken off fatigue and an irresistible desire to sleep, and are ready for action - again and again ...

Energy drink manufacturers claim their products are beneficial and continue to release more and more new types of drinks. If everything is so beautiful, then why did the lawyers try to put forward a bill restricting the distribution of this miracle drink? Let's take a closer look at this situation.

History of energy drinks

Since time immemorial, people have used stimulants. So, in the Middle East, in order to add strength and energy, they drank coffee, in China and Asia - tea, in Africa - kola nuts. Lemongrass, ginseng, and aralia were popular in Siberia and the Far East.

Energy drinks appeared at the end of the 20th century.

Asia gave energy drinks to the world. In the early 1980s, Austrian citizen Dietrich Matesich invented and himself was the first to taste a drink in Hong Kong, which he then decided to reproduce on an industrial scale. Today, the "red bull" owns about 70% of the entire energy drink market.

The energy drink quickly won consumer love along with Coca-Cola and Pepsi. In turn, the producers of the latter quickly got their bearings and released their energy drinks - Burn and Adrenaline Rush.

The opinions of scientists about the benefits and harms of energy drinks differ. Some believe that these are harmless drinks, like simple soda. Others are sure that energy drinks harm the entire body of a person who uses them regularly.

In Europe, in particular in Denmark, Norway and France, the sale of energy drinks is allowed only in pharmacies. In Russia, there is a restriction on the sale of energy drinks: sales are prohibited in schools, restrictions and side effects must be written on the labels. In the United States, the sale of energy drinks containing alcohol was recently completely banned.

There have been precedents for litigation with energy drink companies. So, in Ireland, an athlete died right in training after three cans of energy drinks. In Sweden, several teenagers died at a disco. They mixed an energy drink and alcohol.

Benefits of using energy drinks

Energy drinks are great for boosting mood and stimulating mental activity.

Everyone can find an energy drink according to their taste and needs. In accordance with their purpose, energy drinks are conventionally divided into two groups: some contain more caffeine, others contain vitamins and carbohydrates.

"Coffee" drinks suitable for finished, incorrigible workaholics and students who have to work and study at night, and "vitamin-carbohydrate"- active people who prefer to spend their free time in the gym.

Energy drinks contain a complex of vitamins and glucose. Everyone knows about the benefits of vitamins. Glucose quickly penetrates into the blood, participates in oxidative processes and provides energy to the muscles, brain and other vital organs.

The effect of a cup of coffee lasts for 1 - 2 hours, the effect of an energy drink - about 3 - 4 hours. In addition, almost all energy drinks are carbonated, which speeds up their action - this is their third difference from coffee.

Thanks to convenient packaging, energy drinks can be carried with you and consumed in any situation (on the dance floor, in the car), which cannot be said about coffee or tea.

Cons of using energy drinks

Energy drinks can only be consumed in strict accordance with the dosage. The maximum dose is two cans of the drink per day. Exceeding it can lead to an increase in blood pressure or blood sugar levels.

The vitamins found in energy drinks cannot replace a multivitamin.

People suffering from heart disease, hypo- or hypertension should not consume energy drinks.

The claim that an energy drink provides the body with energy is unfounded. The contents of the cherished jar only open the way to the body's internal reserves, i.e. performs the function of a key, or rather, a master key.

In other words, the drink itself does not contain any energy, but only uses our own. Thus, we use our own energy resources, in other words, we borrow energy from ourselves. However, sooner or later this debt will have to be repaid with interest in the form of fatigue, insomnia, irritability and depression.

Like any other stimulant, the caffeine found in energy drinks depletes the nervous system. Its action lasts an average of 3-5 hours, after which the body needs rest. Plus, caffeine is addictive.

An energy drink containing a combination of glucose and caffeine is very harmful to a young body.

Many energy drinks are high in vitamin B, which can cause palpitations and tremors in the limbs.

Fitness fans should be aware of the outstanding diuretic properties of caffeine. This means that after a workout, you can’t drink an energy drink, because in the process of training we already lose a lot of fluid.

In case of exceeding the permissible dose, side effects are not excluded: tachycardia, psychomotor agitation, increased nervousness, depression.

Energy drinks contain taurine and glucuronolactone. Moreover, the content of taurine is several times higher than the permissible level, and the amount of glucuronolactone contained in two cans of the drink exceeds the daily norm by almost 500 times (!).

Even scientists do not know how these ingredients act on the body, and how they interact with caffeine. Therefore, experts state that the safety of using such high doses of taurine and glucuronolactone has not yet been determined, which requires further research.

As you can see, there are many more cons than pros. And yet, it is possible that one day in your life there will be a situation (hopefully only once) when you cannot do without an energy drink. In this case, carefully read the rules for drinking the drink in order to protect your beloved and only organism.

Rules for drinking energy drinks

Do not exceed your daily dose of caffeine - i.e. do not drink more than two cans of the drink.
When the action of the drink stops, the body needs rest to recuperate.
Don't drink energy drinks after a workout - they, like sports, increase blood pressure.
Energy drinks are contraindicated for pregnant women, children, teenagers, the elderly, people suffering from hypertension, cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, sleep disorders, irritability and sensitivity to caffeine.
Caffeine is removed from the blood after 3-5 hours, and even then only partially (by half). Therefore, during this time, energy drinks should not be mixed with other drinks containing caffeine (tea, coffee), otherwise you may exceed the allowable dose.
Energy drinks should never be mixed with alcohol.(which clubgoers often do). Caffeine increases blood pressure, and alcohol further enhances its effect. The result is an unattractive prospect of a hypertensive crisis.

A few words about the differences in the composition of the names of power engineers:

Red Bull is very close to one cup of coffee with sugar.

Burna contains more caffeine, theobromine and guarana.

Adrenaline Rush is considered safer. It has a stimulating effect, including due to the ginseng, which is part of it.

However, whichever of these drinks you choose, according to doctors, energy drinks are nothing more than vitamin coffee substitutes, but only more dangerous to health. Fruit juices and glucose, found in many other foods, have a similar effect.

So it might be better to drink hot coffee with chocolate?

A person has always cheered himself up with various energy substances and drinks, not too burdening himself with thoughts about their benefits and harms. And if earlier it was natural products, such as coca leaves, then among today's youth, various synthesized energy drinks are wildly successful.

The harm of energy drinks does not bother them in the least, and the extension of the time for enjoyment at a party or disco takes precedence over the understanding that the consequences of such fun will sooner or later make themselves felt.

Older people, on the contrary, tend to exaggerate the danger, but their concern is really justified. A string of deaths caused by an overdose or combination of energy drinks with alcohol or soft drugs has forced the governments of some countries to decide to outright ban or allow the sale of energy drinks only in pharmacy chains.

What are energy drinks

Energy drinks are, as a rule, carbonated drinks, the components of which have a stimulating effect on the nervous, cardiovascular and endocrine systems and cause a feeling of a surge of strength and a feeling of cheerfulness from 1 to 2-3 hours.

Doctors say that taking even one allowable dose of energy drinks has such an invigorating effect on the adult body, but after the decline in euphoria, a mandatory 3-4 hour rest is necessary.

The era of modern energy drinks began with the strengthening of the famous Taiwanese tonic Krating Daeng by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz with modern chemical derivatives. As a result of this "adaptation" and aggressive advertising, the Red Bull energy drink conquered the youth on all continents.

But Red Bull did not long remain a monopoly in this sector of the market. Coca-Cola and Pepsi immediately joined the production of energy drinks. Each of the TMs has got its own energy drinks - Adrenaline Rush, Burn, AMP and NOS.

Other competing energy drinks are not as popular on the domestic market, but their effect on the body is no less dangerous. Among them are Red Devil, Non-Stop, B-52, Tiger, Jaguar, Revo, Hype, Rockstar, Monster, Frappuccino and Cocaine. The latter turned out to be so harmful that its release in the United States was banned twice. However, Reduz Beverages is not going to stop production, and the Cocaine energy drink can be freely bought in online stores.

Are energy drinks harmful? Yes, the negative impact of energy drinks on the body has been proven. However, manufacturers convince of their harmlessness, if you drink 1, maximum 2 cans per day. But even here, some companies resort to forbidden tricks that can have deadly consequences. For example, Mountain Dew Amp, an energy drink company, decided to give twice as much energy - this energy drink is sold only in 0.66 liter cans.

Components of energy drinks and isotonics

Purely technically, energy drinks are categorized as "Food Supplements". This is what allows manufacturers not to indicate the exact composition of the energy drink, and therefore intoxication and overdose of energy drinks has become a common problem.

In fact, all energy drinks consist of the same components - caffeine, taurine, glucose. To these “three whales”, each of the manufacturers adds components that enhance the stimulating effect of energy drinks on the body - ginseng or Chinese magnolia vine, extract from guarana seeds, melatonin, matein, as well as vitamins B, C and PP. It is this combination of active ingredients that causes the harm of energy drinks for teenagers.

For your information, in a jar of Red Bull (0.33 l) the daily norm of glucose is exceeded by 300 times, vitamin B6 by 2.5 times, vitamin B12 by 50%, and the caffeine content, as in 3 cups of strong coffee.

In addition, in the process of degradation of one of the components of the energy drink, the formation of cocaine is possible. What then can be said about how the Cocaine energy drink can act on a growing body, because its manufacturers claim a 350% superiority of all components over Red Bull.

For some reason, some teenagers are sure that when using energy drinks, some kind of energy cleansing of the body occurs. Although it is more appropriate to say here that the body will need to be cleansed of an excess of some of its components.

Some young athletes are sure that there is no difference between energy drinks and special "sports" drinks - isotonics. In fact, it is fundamental. Dry mixes or ready-made iso-osmotic drinks consist of fructose, vitamins and mineral salts, maltodextrin and an acidity regulator.

The iso-osmotic composition verified in medical laboratories helps during physical exertion - the body tolerates fluid deficiency more easily, the water-salt balance is maintained at a normal level, and the supply of glycogen, vitamins and minerals is replenished. The composition, dosage and method of using isotonics are detailed on the packages.

Why are energy drinks bad for the body?

The benefits and harms of energy drinks are incomparable, especially when you consider that now it is rare to find a completely healthy person. The active ingredients of energy force the body to work in a stressful state, and 2-3 hour hyperactivity leads to wear and tear of the resources of internal organs. After the end of the euphoric action of the energy drink, most experience a breakdown, irritability and depression.

If a person drank energy drinks, the following symptoms and consequences may be observed:

caffeine and mateine - tachycardia, boundary changes in blood pressure, anxiety, cardiac arrest;
taurine - gastritis, exacerbation of ulcers, arrhythmia, increased nervousness;
vitamin B group - redness of the skin, severe sweating, swelling of the face, dizziness, numbness and trembling in the limbs, convulsions, suffocation, increased acidity of gastric juice, blockage of the renal tubules, triggering the development of fatty degeneration of the liver, allergic reactions, urticaria, pain in the heart, edema lungs, anaphylactic shock;
glucose, fructose - caries, obesity, diabetes;
melatonin - nausea, vomiting, relapse of allergic diseases, exacerbation of kidney disease, epilepsy attack;
guarana - side effects are little studied, but the signs are similar to caffeine overdose, since the seeds of the plant contain the natural pacemakers theophylline and theobromine;
ginseng - headache, dizziness, insomnia, a sharp drop in blood pressure, edema, tachycardia, fever, women may have miscarriages.

Of particular danger in the composition of energy drinks is glucuronolactone. This substance was created in the American military laboratory DARPA as part of the Supersoldier program.

In small therapeutic doses, it helps cleanse the body of harmful substances and fights fatigue. But the amount of glucuronolactone contained in energy drinks exacerbates liver pathologies and can cause hyperglycemic coma.

In addition to the above, energy drinks can cause addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and suicidal thoughts. Long-term intake of energy drinks leads to a decrease in sexual function, psychopathization of the personality, accompanied by a sharp change in mood, incontinence of affects, and social decline.

Is it possible to get poisoned by an energy drink and is it possible to die

Any reasoning on the topic of harm or benefit of energy drinks ends with facts that, not in theory, but in practice, have proven that their intake leads to death. The sad statistics are led by 5-Hour Energy and Monster. The main cause of death is suffocation and cardiac arrest.

Death from energy drinks can occur as a result of their simultaneous use with alcoholic beverages or drugs. You can get poisoned with an energy drink when mixing it with coffee, strong tea or mate.

Undesirable consequences, up to death, have been recorded when taking energy drinks the day before, during or after sports training.

However, the dishonesty of energy drinks manufacturers can also cause death due to unintentional overdose (for example, you can drink 2 cans of energy drinks, but this does not apply to Cocaine, because its two standard cans contain a dose of 6 times the safe concentration). Many teenagers, remembering that you can drink 300-600 ml of drink, drink ten 60-ml bottles of Red Bull Shot without any fear, not realizing that they exceed the allowable dose by 20 times.

Who should not use energy drinks?

Despite the invented rules for the reasonable use of energy drinks, their intake is strictly prohibited to the following persons:

pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding;
children, adolescents under 18 and the elderly;
hypertensive patients and people with cardiovascular diseases and thrombophlebitis;
with renal and hepatic insufficiency, diseases of the pancreas;
with persistent sleep disorders;
ulcers, diabetics, epileptics;
people suffering from glaucoma.

Healthy people should remember that the harm or benefit of drinking energy drinks will depend solely on compliance with the dosage.

How to improve performance

If the body tolerates caffeine well, but a cup of coffee is not enough, then a mixture of instant coffee and Coca-Cola will invigorate well.

If you have a healthy stomach, then as a strong energy drink, you can try drinking 130-150 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice once. However, it is also not recommended to get involved in such homemade energy drinks.

As a means of stimulating brain activity, it is not necessary to drink caffeine-containing energy drinks. It is enough to buy a pharmacy drug Taurine. However, before taking it, you should familiarize yourself with contraindications, and also remember that in large doses this amino acid leads to the opposite “calming” effect and inhibition of nervous processes occurs.

For people who are actively involved in sports or experiencing heavy physical exertion, it is possible to recommend taking not energy drinks, but isotonics. These energy drinks have no contraindications and contribute to a fairly rapid recovery of the body.

An energy drink is a non-alcoholic drink whose main ingredient is caffeine. The first energy drink appeared in 1960 in Japan. In Europe, energy drinks began to be sold in 1987, and only 10 years later they appeared on sale in the United States. On the market, these drinks are presented as stimulants that can cheer up in a short time, as well as increase concentration and performance.

Shortly after their introduction, energy drinks quickly became part of the youth culture - they were often mixed. Energy drinks have developed a reputation for being rather unhealthy, and the uncontrolled sale of which hastened to be curtailed.

The World Health Organization has opined that energy drinks "may pose a health hazard", and the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for a ban on children drinking such drinks. In response to these claims, the American Soft Drink Association assures that drinks do not pose any harm to health, because they contain well-studied components that are found in other products.

In addition to caffeine, an energy drink may include the amino acid taurine, guarana, a naturally occurring stimulant, certain vitamins, sugar, and fat-burning L-carnitine. Experts involved in the study of these components note that their simultaneous presence and combination with caffeine enhances the effect of each of the substances.

John Higgins, a sports cardiologist at the University of Texas, points out that for some people, energy drinks can be especially dangerous, including young people under 18, pregnant women, people with caffeine sensitivities, and those who In principle, rarely consumes caffeine. In addition, it is worth refusing to take energy drinks for those who take medications designed to combat attention deficit.

What happens if you drink a lot of energy drinks?

400 mg of caffeine (the amount found in four cups of coffee) is considered a safe daily dose for an adult with no health problems. It is not worth increasing this amount - the consequences of an overdose can be quite serious.

The interaction of caffeine with taurine and other components causes an increase in heart rate. It beats faster, blood pressure rises, stress hormone levels rise, and in some cases, the blood becomes thicker.

Several cases are known after drinking several cans of an energy drink - after examination and analysis, doctors were unable to identify any problems with the heart and blood vessels, except for increased levels of caffeine and taurine in the blood.

The researchers emphasize that energy drinks are much more dangerous than coffee, because energy drinks also contain other components. This was shown in a recent study in which some participants drank an energy drink and others a caffeine-only drink (which lacked taurine, L-carnitine, and other substances). 18 participants in the experiment were observed during the day - they measured the pressure and monitored the state of the heart. The researchers were able to detect noticeable changes in the functioning of the cardiovascular system: blood pressure was increased by 5 points (caffeine increased this figure by only 1 point) - the effect lasted for six hours.

The more energy you drink, the more caffeine will enter your body. In some cases, an overdose is possible, accompanied by anxiety, insomnia, cramps and pain in the stomach.

Scientists pay special attention to the use of energy drinks by teenagers. They explain that energy drink drinkers are more prone to deviant behavior, are more likely to smoke, use alcohol and drugs, and are also at a high risk of developing depression.