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Are energy drinks bad for you?
Source: www.nycapollo.org/are-energy-drinks-bad-for-you/

Well, lets just say they are not necessarily good for you. Energy drinks have become all the rage amongst the younger generation over the last few years. Energy drinks have been highly touted as natural alternatives that can improve performance and concentration and this has made them the younger generations pick me up of choice.

The majority of these popular drinks like Red Bull, Venom, and Adrenaline Rush, among others, contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar. Some reports show that the amount of caffeine in an energy drink was higher than 65 mg per 12 ounces, which is higher than the FDA limit set for soft drinks. Many of these drinks contain more than 80 mg of caffeine. To put these caffeine levels into perspective, a regular cup of coffee contains about 80 mg of caffeine, while a Mountain Dew contains around 37 mg.

Energy drinks should be consumed with caution. While studies do not link caffeine with any serious illness, caffeine does produce some side effects. Increased heart rate and blood pressure may occur with increased consumption of caffeine. Dehydration may also happen when a person exercising uses energy drinks as fitness beverages. Continued ingestion of caffeine may result in difficulty sleeping, stomach concerns and anxiety.

Not only do some brands of energy drinks contain sugar and caffeine, they may also contain legal stimulants, such as guarana and ginseng. An energy booster, guarana has twice the amount of caffeine as found in coffee. Guarana may have some positive effects on the body such as increased memory and physical endurance. Ginseng can be a useful dietary supplement that enhances mental acuity, physical fitness, endocrine gland functions and memory. Current studies continue to assess the potential health benefits of these two dietary supplements.

So to sum it all up, although energy drinks may not necessarily be bad for you, they are not really good for you either. If you are going to drink them, be sure you are drinking sufficient amounts of water to ensure you stay properly hydrated at all times. Be wary of the claims like “improved performance and concentration”, as these can be misleading. They are basically just highly-caffeinated short-term energy boosters. Be aware of what they contain and how they affect you.

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