Are energy drinks dangerous? Energetic drinks

The intense rhythm of life, the absence good rest are the main reasons why teenagers and adults turn to different stimulants. Helps cheer up some cold and hot shower, other sport or cup strong coffee. Among modern harmful addictions that help to feel cheerful for a while, one can single out frequent use power engineers. Before eliminating fatigue with the help of such drinks, it is worthwhile to figure out whether there is a benefit and what is their harm.

What is an energy drink

This is a drink that stimulates the emergence of a feeling of cheerfulness and increases mental activity. primary goal energy drinks- make the body and brain work in intensive mode, removing the feeling of fatigue. Anti-sedative cocktails appeared in 1938, their first representative was the isotonic Lukozade, intended to stimulate athletes. The product gave the promised effect, but then the athletes ended up in the hospital with food poisoning. Energy production stopped for long term.

In 1994, the Redbull company appeared, which offered, at first glance, high-quality products, which later became one of the most popular energy drinks on the market. The drink did not cause poisoning, so it became more and more popular. Gradually, other companies producing stimulants arose, to date, more than a hundred of them have been recorded (these are only the most famous in the CIS countries).

A lot of research is being done on the effects of drinking cocktails that cause a surge of energy and euphoria. Some are convinced that they are no more harmful than ordinary sweet soda, others prove that the jars contain a narcotic substance, addictive and addiction. Nevertheless, doctors warn that the frequent use of such drugs can cause problems with the cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems. Even fatal outcomes of an overdose of energy drinks have been recorded.

Composition of energy drinks

The influence of energy drinks on the human body is due to the properties of the components contained in vigor cocktails. Each serving contains a large number of sucrose and glucose. The first is the main nutrient organism, which is formed during the breakdown of disaccharides and starch (they come with food), the second - regular sugar(D-ribose). Additionally, various psychostimulating substances are added. The composition of the energy includes the following ingredients:

1. Caffeine. Contained in all energy drinks and is the most famous psychostimulant. Caffeine reduces drowsiness, accelerates the pulse, raises blood pressure, activates brain activity but only at a certain dosage. So, to increase mental activity, you need 100 mg of a substance. To get this effect, you need to drink at least 3 cans, but cocktail manufacturers recommend limiting yourself to 1-2 servings per day. Unpleasant consequences of taking caffeine are depletion of the nervous system, sleep disturbances, problems with the cardiovascular system.
2. Taurine. This amino acid is produced during the metabolism of cysteine ​​and methionine, it is found mainly in meat and fish, therefore, a person, as a rule, consumes the required dose of the substance per day. One can of an energy cocktail contains up to 1000 mg of taurine, while a total of 400 mg per day should be limited. Amino acid accumulates in muscle tissues and, with its normal amount, improves heart function. Excessive amounts of taurine do not affect the feeling of cheerfulness, according to doctors.
3. L-Carnitine. Is a component of cells human body that promotes rapid oxidation fatty acids. The substance accelerates metabolic processes and reduces muscle fatigue.
4. Ginseng. Plant extract increases endurance, improves memory, improves mood, stimulates psychotropic activity of a person. This useful plant added to teas, infusions are prepared from it that strengthen the immune system, however, in laboratory conditions The benefits of ginseng as a component for alertness and stimulation of mental activity have not been established.
5. Guarana. This is an analogue of caffeine, which is extracted from the seeds of the Amazonian creeper. Guarana and coffee have similar properties, but the effectiveness of the first is many times higher. So, 1 g of guarana is equivalent to 40 g of caffeine. Many manufacturers combine both substances to prolong the action of energy drinks, to make it more pronounced. Thanks to this, the body feels cheerful for 5 hours, but then even more fatigue piles up, to the point that a person begins to fall asleep on the go.
6. Vitamins B. Needed for the normal functioning of the central nervous system, especially the brain. The composition of energy drinks contains such an amount of vitamins that exceeds the daily dose by 360-2000%. Despite this, unnecessary substances are removed from the body naturally without exerting on him negative impact However, their presence in energy drinks is just as unjustified as the presence of taurine.
7. Melatonin. Contained in the human body, is responsible for the daily rhythm of life.
8. Matein. The component is extracted from green South American mate tea. The extract helps to suppress hunger, promotes weight loss.
9. Theobromine. The substance secreted from cocoa beans is chemically similar to caffeine. Theobromine causes excitation of the heart muscle, increases the production of urine by irritating the epithelium of the kidneys.
10. Glucuronolactone. It is a metabolite of glucose, regulates the formation of glycogen. Energy drinks contain 2000-2400 mg of the substance. According to studies, even high doses of glucuronolactone are relatively safe for the body. The component reduces the risk of muscle injuries and reduces the intensity of pain associated with them.

Effect on the body

It is generally accepted that when drinking a stimulating cocktail, the energy resources of the body are replenished, but this is not true. Energy drinks only stimulate the heart, blood vessels, nervous, endocrine systems. As a result, the body is under severe stress and begins to work with increased stress, releasing large doses of adrenaline into the blood. The latter causes the effect of euphoria, hyperactivity. In this state, the wear resistance of the body is significantly worsened, the resource is reduced. internal organs.

Stimulating action

Manufacturers of energy drinks claim that their products increase efficiency by releasing the energy of the body's internal reserves. For example, glucose, like other carbohydrates, is quickly absorbed into the blood, takes part in oxidative processes and transports energy to the brain, muscles and other important organs. Sometimes advertisements say that caffeine is present in the drink in pure form, and is not associated with other substances, as in tea and coffee, so the effect of the component is stronger.

Stimulants act according to a single scheme - they take a large amount of energy from the body at once, which leads to depletion of the nervous system and disruption of metabolic processes. This is the main harm of energy drinks. Cocktail manufacturers claim that the stimulating effect of their product lasts 3-4 hours (compared to coffee, which provides vigor for only 1-2 hours), but do not provide links to the results of clinical trials, so these data are unfounded and questionable.

Harm of power engineers

In fact, an energy drink is a small bomb, the explosion of which causes damage to all body systems. Soda contains a lot of useless and harmful substances. One drink includes large dose caffeine (comparable to 3 cups of coffee), as well as 14 teaspoons of sugar. Doctors are convinced that frequent consumption of energy cocktails causes insomnia, fatigue, problems with the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and rapid depletion of the body's resources.

The harm from energy drinks outweighs the benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that the components of such drinks have not been tested on children and there is no reason to consider them safe. Nearly 5,000 cases were recorded in the US in 2010-2011 alcohol poisoning due to the consumption of energy drinks along with alcohol. In 2017, due to careless use of a stimulant, an American teenager (Davis Creep) died, who developed a severe cardiac arrhythmia.

Alcohol compatibility

It is highly undesirable to mix energy cocktails with alcohol or caffeinated drinks. This combination can cause the most unpleasant consequences. When combining energy drinks with vodka and other alcohol, such Negative consequences:

• a strong jump in pressure;
• arrhythmia (violation of the heart rhythm);
• tachycardia;
• epilepsy attack;
• deterioration of the liver, kidneys, pancreas;
• suffocation;
• severe dizziness.

Consequences of energy drinks

Stimulants based on caffeine and amino acids are harmful to health, prematurely wearing out the body and inhibiting the work of all systems. The lesser evil that they cause is the violation of the acidity in the mouth and the destruction of tooth enamel. In some cases, after the use of energy cocktails, allergic reactions of varying intensity are observed. With frequent intake and overdose of drinks in a person, the internal reserves of the body are depleted, the nervous system is depressed, which leads to:

• loss of strength;
• irritability;
• depression;
• lethal outcome;
• insomnia;
• heart attack;
• increase in pressure;
• hyperglycemia;
• diabetes
• convulsions;
• poisoning with chemicals that make up the product;
• coma, death.

Contraindications

At a minimum, energy drinks lead to the appearance of caries, a decrease in immunity and an increase in the amount of sugar in the blood. Such drinks deplete nervous system, as a result of which a person feels bad, his working capacity decreases, depression occurs, unreasonable irritability. Energy drinks are contraindicated little child and a teenager under 16 years of age, a woman during pregnancy and for:

• people with gastritis, pancreatitis, other diseases of the pancreas and stomach;
• ulcers;
• old people;
• epileptics;
• people with thrombophlebitis, diabetes;
• sick with pathologies cordially- vascular system, glaucoma;
• hypertensive patients;
• people with sleep disorders, hyperexcitability.

Video

IN modern world a person is in constant motion: he is in a hurry somewhere, planning something, and even when he is resting, he is thinking about his future activities. It is quite natural that at such a pace of life, the body's forces are depleted, and it just needs to cheer up. In this case, energy drinks become a real salvation, but are we harming our body in this way?

What are energy drinks

Energy drinks are a relatively new invention of mankind, although their components have been used to increase vitality for many centuries. Manufacturers claim that their products provide a quick burst of vigor and strength. This is achieved by stimulating the central nervous system through the use of certain active substances. The composition of each drink differs both in ingredients and in the concentration of stimulants in the mixture.

The energy drink also contains taurine, one can contains approximately 400-1000 mg of the substance. It is an amino acid that accumulates in muscle tissue. Many believe that it improves the functioning of the heart muscle, but recently, doctors have come to the conclusion that taurine does not have any effect on the human body at all.

Medicinal plants such as guarana and ginseng have tonic properties. Guarana leaves remove lactic acid from muscle tissues, reducing pain during physical exertion, and also prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis and cleanse the liver. However, some doctors argue that the stimulating properties of guarana and ginseng are not confirmed by research.

Energy drinks also contain B vitamins, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system and the brain in particular. The body will immediately feel the lack of them, but increasing the dose will not improve your performance or mental abilities, as energy manufacturers are trying to convince us.

Energy drinks also contain mateine, an extract of an evergreen tree that helps to cope with hunger and promotes weight loss.

To speed up the absorption and assimilation of active substances, energy drinks are often carbonated by adding carbonic acid to them. It is also necessary to single out a separate group of energy drinks - alcoholic energy drinks, which contain approximately 7-7.5% ethyl alcohol.

How non-alcoholic energy drinks work on the body

In the first minutes after drinking an energy drink, a person, as a rule, feels a surge of strength, drowsiness and lethargy disappear, the brain begins to work actively, and the muscles get the opportunity to show their strength. However, this energy had to come from somewhere. In this case, two mechanisms work: the absorption of easily digestible carbohydrates (sugar) from the drink itself and their delivery to organs and systems, as well as the use of internal reserves of the body. It is the second mechanism of the surge of energy that is the main cause of concern for physicians. They argue that the energy reserves in our body are reserved for emergencies, used "out of order". This means that the body is depleted in a few hours (usually this happens after 2-4 hours), as a result of which a person feels repeatedly increased fatigue and weakness. Of course, you can take a new portion of energy, but the energy in the body is not infinite, and soon there will come a moment when the body stops responding to stimulation and requires many hours, or even many days of rest. In addition, intensive use of body reserves can lead to serious health problems. The lack of energy for the synthesis of proteins, enzymes, hormones, for the functioning of the brain, heart and respiration can cause severe malfunctions in the work of important organs and even their organic damage.

Benefits of energy drinks

The benefits of drinking energy drinks include the fact that they perfectly uplift the mood and stimulate mental activity. According to their purpose, energy drinks can be divided into 2 groups: those that contain more caffeine and those that contain more vitamins and carbohydrates. Therefore, everyone will be able to find an energy drink according to their taste and needs. "Coffee" drinks are more suitable for incorrigible workaholics and students who have to work and study at night, but "vitamin-carbohydrate" cocktails are more consumed by active people who prefer to spend free time in gym.

As you know, energy drinks contain a complex of vitamins and glucose. Of course, there is no doubt about the benefits of vitamins, and glucose quickly penetrates into the bloodstream, participates in oxidative processes and provides energy to the muscles, brain and other vital organs. It is worth noting that the effect of a cup of coffee lasts for 1-2 hours, but energy drinks last about 3-4 hours. In addition, almost all energy drinks are carbonated, which speeds up their action. Another advantage of energy drinks is their convenient packaging. It is quite possible to carry them with you and use them in any situation, which cannot be said about coffee or tea.

Harm of power engineers

Energy drinks can only be consumed in strict accordance with the dosage. Maximum dose is 2 cans per day, exceeding it can lead to an increase in blood pressure or blood sugar levels. You also need to remember that the vitamins that are part of these drinks cannot replace a multivitamin complex. It is not recommended to use energy drinks for people suffering from heart disease, hypotension or hypertension. They are also contraindicated in pregnant women, children, the elderly, as well as those who suffer from glaucoma, sleep disorders, hyperexcitability and sensitivity to caffeine.

You should not believe that an energy drink will provide the body with energy, it opens the way only to the internal reserves of the body, that is, it is a kind of key. In other words, the drink itself does not contain any energy, but only uses our own. However, sooner or later, the use of one's own energy reserves will turn into fatigue, insomnia, irritability and depression.

In addition, caffeine, which is contained in the composition of the energy drink, leads to the depletion of the nervous system. Its action lasts approximately 3-5 hours, after which the body needs rest. Plus, caffeine is addictive. Another disadvantage of such "cocktails" is that the combination of caffeine and glucose is very harmful for a young organism. Most energy drinks also contain great amount vitamin B, which can cause heart palpitations and tremors in the limbs.

Fitness fans should be aware of the diuretic properties of caffeine. This means that it is not advisable to drink an energy drink after a workout, because a lot of fluid is already lost during the workout. If you exceed the permissible dose of the drink, then it is not excluded side effects: tachycardia, psychomotor agitation, depression and increased nervousness. In no case do not mix energy drinks with alcohol, because caffeine increases blood pressure, and alcohol further enhances its effect, as a result, this can lead to a hypertensive crisis.

As you know, the composition of energy drinks includes taurine and glucuronolactone, while the content of taurine is several times higher than allowable level, and the amount of glucuronolactone exceeds daily allowance almost 500 times. Even scientists don't know how these ingredients work in the body, and how they interact with caffeine.

As you can see, there are many more cons than pros. However, in everyone's life, a situation may arise when an energy drink is indispensable. In this case, you must carefully study the rules for drinking a drink in order to protect your body.

All over the world, energy drinks are very popular among teenagers and young people. On sale there are all kinds of drinks with different names and manufacturers. They are sold everywhere: in small pavilions and in huge supermarkets, discos and gyms, they are inexpensive and affordable for many citizens, even children.

Energy drinks attract customers with their colorful aluminum cans. As well as intrusive advertising, which guarantees a person who uses energy every day success in his career and great achievements in sports, pleasure, “wingedness”, heroic strength and efficiency.

You can frolic all night at the disco, and if you suddenly get tired or want to sleep, then you can just refresh yourself with one more jar, and the dream will take off like a hand, and there will be no trace of fatigue. And many believe that it is fashionable and cool to use energy drinks, and they cannot live a day without them.

Energetic drinks. Compound.

Energy drinks or energy drinks are carbonated soft drinks or low alcohol drinks, tonic and stimulating the nervous system, which are easily absorbed by our body, add energy to us, invigorate, help fight drowsiness and fatigue, improve mood, mental and physical performance.

What kind of miraculous substances are contained in the composition of energy drinks?

The main ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee and tea. It has an exciting effect on the nervous system, increases efficiency and endurance, relieves fatigue, quickly restores muscle tone and fills the body with energy, improves mood, creates a feeling of a surge of strength, and invigorates.

In some types of drinks, vegetable stimulants containing caffeine are added - extracts of ginseng, guarana, as well as theobramine - a substance found together with caffeine in cocoa and taurine, which also increase energy.

Energy drinks contain carbohydrates - glucose and sucrose. Glucose is quickly absorbed into the blood and also energizes all organs. Vitamins of groups B and C, as well as all kinds of chemical additives- flavors, preservatives, flavor and acidity enhancers, dyes, food additives and other chemicals.

In order for the drink to become carbonated, carbon dioxide is added to it.

Energetic drinks. Harm

It would seem that the energy drink is good for everyone, it acts quickly and the effect lasts 3-4 hours, and it is convenient to use, opened the jar and was filled with energy.

Then why in some countries, such as France, Norway and Denmark, the sale of energy drinks is prohibited in stores, and you can buy them only in pharmacies. In Australia, New Zealand also has a ban on the sale and production of energy drinks. And in America, energy drinks with caffeine and alcohol are prohibited. In Bulgaria, persons under the age of 18 are prohibited from selling drinks.

In Russia, a draft law was submitted to the State Duma to withdraw energy drinks from sale in educational, sports, and medical institutions, as well as to ban sales to minors.

In what quantities can energy drinks be consumed, and what harm can they do to human health?

In order to feel invigorated and be healthy, energy drinks can be consumed at certain times when the body is affected by prolonged stress, during exams, but in limited quantities, no more than one jar per day, and in no case should they interfere with alcohol and not consumed with other caffeinated products.

Who shouldn't drink energy drinks?

As it turned out, people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, hypertension, diseases of the pancreas and stomach, as well as those who have glaucoma, are contraindicated to use energy drinks.

It is also not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women. Elderly people and those who suffer from insomnia, as well as drivers and people who work with complex mechanisms, are also contraindicated in drinking energy drinks.

If used in large quantities energy drinks, they will undoubtedly bring great harm health. Energy drinks do not fill our body with energy, but only suck out reserves of reserve energy from our organs.
Caffeine overload debilitates nerve cells, causes insomnia, a feeling of fatigue, a person accumulates irritability and depression occurs.

Taurine, which is part of drinks, increases the load on the heart, increases arterial pressure and pulse rate, which contributes to the development of tachycardia, arrhythmia.

A huge amount of energy drinks combined with alcohol can cause heart attack, dramatically increase blood pressure and cause a stroke. The consequences of using such an "explosive mixture" can be the most deplorable - even fatal.

Energy drinks also increase the production of gastric juice and acidity, which in turn leads to gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Glucose and sucrose contribute to an increase in body weight and even blood sugar.

And one more fact that speaks of the dangers of energy drinks - during the military operations in Vietnam, American military personnel used energy drinks containing a substance - glucuronoloctone, to raise morale and increase stamina, later it turned out that the use of these drinks, in the majority of those who fought contributed to the development of cirrhosis of the liver and brain tumors.

Also, energy drinks are addictive. And already one jar is not enough to cheer up and when the stimulating effect of the drink ends, the body requires a new dose, and then again and again, and without energy drinks there is no longer any working capacity, there is absolutely no energy and mood, and there is some kind of weakness in the body, and indeed For some reason my hands are shaking.

After all, in order to “sausage” all night in nightclubs, at discos, young people pour an incredible amount of energy drinks into themselves.

And increasingly, young people are dying of heart attacks or hemorrhages in the internal organs caused by an overdose of energy drinks.

So is it worth it to risk your health and life like that, just to improve your mood, endurance and performance and drive yourself into dependence on energy drinks.

After all, you can cheer up and feel happy and cheerful by other means, safer. You can simply drink tea or coffee with chocolate or dates, or gobble up a banana. Well, absolutely, in extreme cases, you can open one colorful jar and drink an energetic drink.

Hello! Today we will talk about energy drinks. A question that I am often asked as a drug addiction doctor is: “Are energy drinks harmful? Or is this just another myth? I remember my husband and I went to St. Petersburg. He was driving for the second day. The eyes were closing on their own, it was necessary to urgently cheer up, mobilize their physical and mental capabilities. At the nearest gas station, we bought two cans of energy drink and safely reached our destination. I remember another case. A young guy was taken to the narcology department where I work in a state of acute psychosis (he was removed from the top of a tree), which developed after he drank an energy drink. I know that after coding for alcoholism, many are addicted to taking energy drinks. So, energy drinks: benefits and harms.

First, let's highlight the two most important contradictions.

One side: the use of energy drinks every year is gaining more and more popularity among young people.
The other side: the use of energy drinks in most cases does not bring success, victories and achievements, but on the contrary, more and more people turn to doctors with various ailments.

Medicine is skeptical and differently about the effects of these drinks on the body. Some argue that energy does not bring any harm and benefit and their use is meaningless. Others defend the point of view that the negative impact on the body is much greater than the positive.

Hundreds of advertisements on television say that for the vigor of the body it is necessary to use a jar of energy drinks, and then your performance will increase many times over, but is there any truth in these commercials? What is hidden behind advertising banners and labels?

Understanding Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are non-alcoholic drinks aimed at stimulating the body's performance.
It is believed that energy drinks appeared not so long ago, however, this is a delusion. Back in 1938, the first stimulant drink Lukozade was created for athletes, but this led to the departure of people.

Also, for example, back in 1994, the Redbull company was created, which to this day is gaining immense popularity among people who use energy drinks.

The main purpose of drinks is to make your body work as quickly as possible, however, all this leads to its complete exhaustion. Remember, nothing goes without consequences for the body.

The fact that energy drinks can be consumed before training is erroneous. Just think about what kind of load goes on the performance of your heart! He has to spend not only energy on stimulating your body, but also on the work that you do in the gym.

There are a huge number of cases of the negative impact of energy drinks. For example, one girl used some kind of energy drink before a disco, after a while she became so ill that she had to call an ambulance.

Or one young athlete decided to cheer up before the competition and drank a can of energy drink. When performing one of the exercises, his heart could not withstand the load and burst, this story ended, respectively, with a fatal outcome.

In some European countries energy drinks can only be bought with a doctor's prescription at a pharmacy!

Energy drinks: benefits and harms

Energy drinks contain:

1. Caffeine is a fairly well-known and common product that we use almost daily. Some energy drinks do not contain caffeine, but the equivalent is guarana instead. It contains about 4 times more caffeine than coffee.
2. Taurine is an amino acid that affects the activity of the heart muscle. But recently I met the point of view that it has no effect on the body at all.
3. Carnitine is a component that leads to a very rapid oxidation of fatty acids. It reduces fatigue and increases the endurance of the body.
4. Medicinal plants (for example, ginseng) - reduce fatigue, and also cleanse the liver of toxins.
5. B vitamins. They increase the activity of the nervous system and brain.
6. Melatonin. This component is responsible for the correct human biorhythms.
7. Matein. The main properties of this substance are hunger satisfaction and weight loss.

Pros of using

Who usually consumes energy drinks:

• truck drivers;
• people with night shift schedules;
• students during the session;
• office workers during reports;
• lovers of hanging out and visiting nightclubs.

Why? Energetic drinks:

• stimulate mental activity;
• increase physical endurance;
• contain vitamins of various groups necessary for the body (mainly B and C), which do not cause a negative impact on human health;
• really increase the efficiency of the body, but for a maximum of 1-1.5 hours;
• cheer up and maintain it as such 2-3 times longer than a cup of coffee.

Why and to whom are energy drinks harmful?

If you still use energy drinks, the main thing is to comply with the dose.
Caffeine, which is abundant in the drink, definitely leads our nervous system to exhaustion. As a result, the state of health worsens, the mood drops and the working capacity decreases.
There are also side effects: diseases of the heart, nervous system, kidneys develop. Fatigue, irritation, drowsiness appear, which can soon turn into depression.

Energy drinks are strictly prohibited:

• pregnant women;
• children and teenagers;
• To old people;
• suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system (for example, hypertension or coronary artery disease);
• patients with glaucoma;
• with increased excitability;
• with sleep disorders.

It is important to know!

As any potent energy substances are addictive!

How to drink energy drinks

It is highly contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women. The use of energy drinks during this period can cause an irreparable blow to the health of the mother and her unborn baby.
You can not use the energy drink after heavy physical exertion. The work of your heart muscle was already at its limit, and exposure to an energy drink on it can lead to irreversible consequences.
Never mix an energy drink and alcohol!

Maximum daily dose of any energy drink - two cans!

In order to visually see the effect of the drinks in question on the body, you can conduct a simple experiment. To do this, you will need: a piece of chicken or beef meat and an energy drink. Put meat in a glass with a drink and leave it alone for 1 to 2 days. After a while, you will see how the meat decomposed and in what condition it is. Based on this experience, you see what effect energy drinks have on the tissues of your body and how destructive this effect is.

How to Boost Your Performance Without Energy Drinks

1. Drink tea that does not increase blood pressure and does not cause a decline in performance later.
2. Eat buckwheat porridge, bananas and drink grape juice because they contain complex carbohydrates.
3. Nobody canceled healthy sleep!
4. A couple of spoons of honey a day can bring back a good mood.
5. Increasing mental performance medications belong to the group of nootropics. A lot of them. The most famous are Piracetam, Picamilon, Calcium gopanthenate, Phenotropil, Cereton.
6. And of course, medicines that increase physical performance, raising the overall tone of the body and activating its adaptive abilities: Acetyl amino succinic acid, Melatonin, Calcium glycerophosphate, alcohol tinctures of ginseng, eleutherococcus and others medicinal plants. I like to repeat twice a year a monthly course of Eleutherococcus tincture: 25 drops in the morning and afternoon 25 minutes before meals. Try it!

Afterword

Each person chooses his own life path: some succeed in sports achievements, while others do nothing and indulge themselves with various energy drinks that have harmful effects.

By consuming energy drinks, you voluntarily cause an irreparable blow to the state of the body. There are a huge number of cases and examples of the use of energy drinks, which ended in death. All the substances found in these drinks have an extremely negative and irreversible effect on your health.

When using energy drinks, many components of the drink, of course, give energy and increase efficiency, but all this is followed by mass side effects which are very difficult to remove.

Everyone chooses for himself what is more important - his own well-being and health, or the ruined, critical state of the body. Suppress the desire to be like everyone else and trust beautiful but false advertising! Before drinking energy drinks, evaluate their benefits and harms.

I highly recommend watching this video:

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Man has always cheered himself up with various energy substances and drinks, without too much burdening yourself with thoughts about their benefits and harms. And if before it was natural products, such as coca leaves, various synthesized energy drinks are wildly successful among today's youth.

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 system 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.

Era modern power engineers 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, power engineers are categorized as " Nutritional 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 can of Red Bull (0.33l) daily allowance 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, it is maintained at a normal level water-salt balance, 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 rarely possible to meet completely healthy person. Active ingredients 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, sharp drop 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 drinks 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 the mixture will invigorate well instant coffee with coke.

If you have a healthy stomach, then as strong energy you can try to drink 130-150 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice. 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. enough to buy 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 severe physical exercise, we can recommend taking not energy drinks, but isotonics. These energy drinks have no contraindications and contribute to a fairly rapid recovery of the body.

Energy are popular among people who are forced to long time engage in active activities. These people do not have time to complete tasks due to the lack of strength, which they are trying to find in the notorious drinks.

The problem lies in the misunderstanding of the harm from this, because how can a “fortified invigorating cocktail” created by skilled marketers harm? And yet medicine treats such liquids strictly negatively. To realize the truth, it is worth weighing the real pros and cons.

What it is

Energy are soft drinks aimed at stimulating the active work of the body. Their main goal is to make the mind and body function at maximum efficiency without feeling tired.

A miracle cure appeared in 1938. Then the first invigorating drink called Lukozade was created, which was used to stimulate athletes. The latter showed excellent results, but then ended up in the hospital with food poisoning. For a very long time, the product was discontinued.

However, in 1994, Redbull appeared, creating own brand and seemingly high-quality products that have become one of the most sought-after energy drinks on the market. There were no poisonings, so other corporations gradually arose, wishing to get their "piece of the pie" in a new promising niche. Today, there are more than a hundred brands that produce invigorating cocktails. And these are only the most famous in the CIS.

Video: Energy drinks harm and benefit.

Compound

The action of any energy drinks directly depends on their composition, the main components of which are:

• caffeine;
• ginseng;
• guarana;
• taurine;
• B vitamins;
• sugar.

Additional components, flavors, flavor enhancers are usually different for each manufacturer's products. It is clear that they do not carry anything useful, and an excessive amount of the same sugar leads to diabetes and vascular problems.

To understand the action of the ingredients, you need to learn about each of them in more detail.

Caffeine

Caffeine has long been known for its psychoactive and tonic properties. It contains adenosine, which suppresses communication with the central nervous system, due to which a person is not aware of fatigue. Under the influence of caffeine, adrenaline is produced, which supports and even increases energy resources, as well as mental activity.

The disadvantages of coffee lie in the depletion of the central nervous system, restless sleep or insomnia, physical dependence, problems with the cardiovascular system. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to drink no more than two or three small cups of coffee or one can of energy drink per day.

Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid produced as a result of the metabolism of cysteine ​​and methionine. It is found in food (especially meat and fish), so a person even unconsciously consumes the necessary dose of the substance per day.

In energy drinks, the concentration of taurine exceeds 3180 mg / l, taking into account a daily dose of 400 mg / l. This amino acid is harmless to the body, but as an energy drink component, it simply "takes place" without any benefit.

It is added because of "rapid stimulation of brain activity and usefulness for cell membranes," according to marketers. But in fact, scientific evidence for such loud words has not been found.

Ginseng

Ginseng extract increases physical endurance, improves mood and human memory, stimulates psychomotor activity, mental activity. In general, this is a very useful plant that is added to many teas and various liquids.

There is no need to talk about the cons. One can only take into account the fact that during laboratory studies, scientists were unable to confirm or refute both positive and negative side ginseng consumption.

B vitamins

Energy drinks also contain vitamins of group B, the amount of which exceeds the daily dose by 360% -2000%. However, you should not grab your heart, because unnecessary vitamins are excreted in the “classical” way and do not affect the body. negative impact. But their presence in drinks is not justified in the same way as taurine.

They also play the role of "baits" on which the consumer is led. After all, all of us, having heard the word “vitamins”, consider the product useful, right? Marketers skillfully manipulate this. Alas, the desired effect is not expected.

Guarana

Guarana is an analogue of caffeine, extracted from the seeds of the Amazonian creeper. The properties of this substance are similar to those of caffeine, only the effectiveness is several times higher. For an approximate calculation, 40 mg of caffeine is equated to 1 g of guarana.

Energy producers combine both components to prolong the effect and make it as strong as possible. Thanks to this symbiosis, the body can stay awake for up to 5 hours without feeling tired. But then she will descend in full dress, forcing you to fall asleep on the go.

Benefit

It cannot be said that energy drinks are not useful at all, otherwise they would not have become so in demand. The main argument "for" is the opportunity to cheer up and "find access" to the active work of the brain, sources of inspiration.

Pleases the time for which such an effect is achieved. It comes almost instantly and lasts at least three hours. For example, coffee or tea are not so effective, because they begin to act after 15 minutes, adding vigor for no more than an hour.

Another plus is ease of use. Just open a can and drink, even while driving. Coffee is usually consumed hot, so such tricks will not work with it - unless a thermos helps. In any case, the energy drink invigorates much better than coffee, tea or special medications.

Harm and contraindications

The harm of energy drinks outweighs the benefits. They are like a small bomb, which, when exploding, causes damage to all body systems. This is a carbonated sweet, which contains a lot of harmful or meaningless ingredients.

At a minimum, such a cocktail leads to the formation of caries, an increase in blood sugar, and a decrease in immunity. It depletes the nervous system, the consequences of which are poor health, decreased performance, loss of strength, irritability, and depression.

• with gastritis, pancreatitis, ulcers;
• To old people;
• pregnant women;
• with increased excitability and sleep disorders;
• children and teenagers;
• suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, glaucoma, pressure problems;
• with sensitivity to caffeine.

Side effects from excessive consumption of energy drinks include palpitations, tremors in the limbs, fatigue, and drowsiness. And an overdose leads to cardiac arrest and death or coma.

Scientists have found that the "killer" dose is 15-25 cans of liquid. The difference depends on the endurance of the body, the frequency of taking invigorating cocktails, even a person's weight. Therefore, you should not lean on energy, even if you urgently need to cheer up.

How to use without harm to health

Despite all the warnings, energy drinks can be drunk without harm to health. To do this, it is enough to adhere to the daily dose of the substance - 2-3 cans. If you do not exceed it and allow the body to recover after taking the "potion", its effect will be neutralized.

You should not use it after playing sports, because the pressure will rise to dangerous levels. It is also undesirable to drink other drinks containing caffeine within 3-5 hours after taking the energy drink.

Do not mix energy drinks and alcohol. Although the effect of the cocktail removes any inhibitions, relaxes the mind, tones the body - this all happens only in the first few hours. Then there is a malfunction in the brain, the pressure rises, even a hypertensive crisis is possible.

conclusions

Energy drinks still bring more harm than good. The essence lies in their principle of action, because they do not bring energy, but take it out of the body's resources, take them, as it were, in advance. Therefore, in the future, when the miracle effect passes, the mind begins to slow down, and the body feels desperate fatigue, apathy, drowsiness.

Frequent use invigorating drinks leads to various diseases, and an overdose - to death or coma. To reduce the harm from energy drinks, it is worth drinking no more than two or three cans per day. In this case, it is undesirable to drink coffee, tea or other liquids containing caffeine.

The answer to the main question "Is it possible to drink energy drinks?" - Yes, when you urgently need to recharge your batteries. But it is advisable to do this at least once a week, so that the body has time to “cleanse itself”. You can't drink energy drinks every day. And it is important to monitor your own well-being in order to stop at the right time.

Manufacturers of energy drinks do not recommend drinking more than two jars a day (as it is written on the package). It is in this volume that the daily dose of caffeine is contained. Energy drinks can be called a kind of concentrated coffee substitute, which also contains glucose, providing a burst of energy for the brain and muscles. You probably noticed that many energy drinks are carbonated. Because of this, they act much faster than coffee.

Let's see what is usually included in the composition of energy drinks:

1. Caffeine. The most important component, without which none of these miracle jars can do. It not only stimulates the activity of the brain, but also increases the endurance of the heart. So much for the harm of energy drinks - if you drink more than two jars, too strong an effect on the heart will begin.
2. Carnitine. This component eliminates muscle fatigue and increases endurance. A very important component of sports energy drinks.
3. Taurine. According to some studies, taurine improves heart function. Although not all experts agree with this.
4. Matein. Extract from mate tea helps to cope with hunger.
5. Ginseng and guarana. They have a tonic effect.
6. Vitamins of group B. Positively affect the functioning of the brain and nervous system.

Why you need sports energy drinks

In addition to conventional energy drinks, there are sports energy drinks. For example, you trudge to a fitness club after a hard day's work and can hardly imagine how you will generally work out on simulators or jump on the step today. Of course, it is easier to drink something, feel a surge of energy and perform an active workout without any problems. But not everything is so simple. If you are tired, do not drink energy drinks, but rather go home or rest. Or start training through strength - sport will give you a surge of energy and strength.

Popular

Sports energy drinks are consumed by people who experience very intense physical activity, such as running a marathon. Think carefully about whether you need them, as their use can be followed by problems with the stomach and intestines. For a typical hour-long fitness workout, they are not really necessary.

The dangers of energy drinks

It is difficult to say something about the dangers of energy drinks, looking at the composition. There is nothing wrong with them, especially if you drink no more than two jars a day. But if you exceed the dose, expect these side effects:

• Increased blood pressure and sugar levels.
• Loss of energy, irritability and insomnia. These are not magic jars - they take all the resources from your own body, after which retribution inevitably comes.
• Addictive. If you drink them every day, you will forget what it is to be cheerful just like that.
• high calorie content. In the fight for beautiful figure they certainly won't help you. Here is another argument not to drink them at the gym where you are trying to lose weight.
• Tachycardia, trembling and exhaustion of the nervous system (it's all caffeine).
• Other effects. For example, scientists still know little about the side effects of taurine on the body. Maybe you should not be a field for experimentation?

Or is it still useful?

An energy drink will give you an energy boost for 3-4 hours, while coffee will only help you wake up for an hour or two. Therefore, sometimes, if you are facing very intense physical or mental stress, you can resort to using these jars. By the way, convenient packaging will allow you to use energy drinks on the road or at a disco - where you can’t find coffee.