You don't need energy drinks to get ready

When we feel tired, have slept badly, or need to be "alert", sometimes we turn to energy drinks for a boost. As the advertisements often claim, energy drinks are supposed to provide the energy you need to keep the body running when the battery is low.

Energy drinks are widely consumed by teenagers, athletes and people who have very long working hours. If they are consumed frequently, energy drinks can have negative health effects, especially when combined with other stimulants or alcohol. If taken when exercising, they have a diuretic effect and increase the risk of dehydration.

Caffeine is the main ingredient in energy drinks, but they may also contain some of the following:

• Guarana.
• Glucose.
• Taurine.
• Ginseng.
• B group vitamins.
• Glucuronolactone.
• Yohimbe.
• Carnitine.

Why should you avoid energy drinks?

1. Too much caffeine can cause heart problems, such as arrhythmias, increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine consumption is also linked to anxiety, sleep and digestive disorders, and dehydration.
2. Most energy drinks contain between 70 mg and 240 mg of caffeine, while a cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the safe limit for caffeine in adults is 400 mg per day. If you drink more than two cans of energy drinks a day, you exceed this limit. Pediatricians advise against caffeine consumption in children under 12 years old and recommend a maximum consumption of 100 mg per day between 12 and 18 years. 
3. Guarana is a natural source of caffeine, and you should take this into account when assessing the total amount of caffeine in an energy drink. This information is important, especially when energy drinks are mixed with alcohol since this impair coordination and reaction capacity. What's more, energy drinks along with alcohol increase the risk of alcohol intoxication, slurred speech, poor coordination, and memory impairment.
4. Excessive consumption of energy drinks can disrupt sleep patterns and affect performance at school and work. 
5. Each can of energy drink can contain between 27 gr and 31 gr of sugar. According to the American Heart Association, women should consume a maximum of 25 gr of sugar per day, and men, no more than 36 gr per day. On average, an energy drink triples these amounts. High sugar consumption increases the risk of obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver, and can cause inflammation, which is linked to chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

When should you start worrying about energy drinks consumption?

If after drinking an energy drink you have one or more of these symptoms, you should see a doctor. The warning signs are:

• Migraines.
• Insomnia.
• Nervousness.
• Irritability.
• Urge to urinate frequently.
• Inability to control urination.
• Abdominal pain.
• Tachycardia.
• Muscle tremors.