The energy drink industry has spread like wildfire, which means energy drinks and the highs they offer are available to pretty much everyone regardless of their dangers and side effects. Its not like you have to be of legal age to buy a bottle, like you do with cigarettes, alcohol or even lottery tickets. Even kids are getting their hands on them.
Energy drinks are under-studied, overused and can be dangerous for children and teens, warns a report by doctors who say kids shouldn't use the popular products.
The potential energy drink dangers, caused mostly by too much caffeine or similar ingredients, include heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death, the authors write in the medical journal Pediatrics. They reviewed data from the government and interest groups, scientific literature, case reports and articles in popular and trade media.
The truth is a lot of people just cant keep up with the hectic pace of the 21st century. Downing an energy drink or two gives them an extra boost of energy to help them get through the work day. It also allows them to extend the night long past their regular bedtime. Drinking energy is a legal way to be a bit rebellious, without breaking any laws. Adventurous types like the high they get from them and, lets face it, anyone can be an adventurous type with the quick, inexpensive, legal and mobile buzz that an energy drink offers.
Theres a slight element of
energy drink dangers that makes them a bit intriguing as well. After all, they contain controversial ingredients namely guarana, taurine, caffeine, Cyanocobalamin, citric acid and ginseng. Even though these are basically harmless when taken in low dosages, studies have shown that these ingredients can do major damage to people who dont know how to spell moderation. This means too many people are consuming energy drinks in excess, for the wrong reasons.
In addition, mix a few with alcohol and the high youll get will have you feeling downright unstoppable. The binge drinking associated with energy drink cocktails is twice as high because it gives you that untouchable high, without the side effects of fatigue and drowsiness you get with alcohol and plain juice pop.
Aside from these energy drinks, there are a lot of beverages you can choose to drink. Water is crucial for survival -- it's the base of all your body fluids, like blood and digestive juices, it helps nutrients from your food get absorbed and be transported, and it helps eliminate waste. Even becoming mildly dehydrated (when you lose as little as 1 percent to 2 percent of your body weight) can seriously impact your body's ability to function.
In general, you can prevent dehydration by focusing on staying hydrated throughout the day. Keep water with you and drink it regularly -- before you get thirsty. If it's hot outside or you're exercising (or pregnant or breastfeeding), you'll need even more fluids so drink more water or perhaps substitute for apple juice.
