Energy Drinks SuEnergyper Power or Massive Harm ?

 Energy Drinks Super Power or Massive Harm ?

Are energy drinks more harmful than regular soft drinks? And if energy drinks are harmful, do they have any benefit at all, or are they purely harmful? Should we completely avoid them, or can we drink them occasionally as beverages that might wake us up or, as we say casually, “give us a boost” or “make us feel high”?

Peace be upon you all. I hope you are well. Today’s topic is energy drinks, and we will talk about everything related to them without mentioning any specific brand. We will speak about this category of drinks and their health effects: Do they really harm our bodies? Or are the harms exaggerated? Has social media increased the fear of energy drinks?

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To understand energy drinks what is for them and against them we must first look at the recommendations written on their labels. The first thing we’ll notice is that the producing companies do not recommend consuming them for individuals under 18 years old, and even for those above 18, there is no recommendation to drink more than one can per day. This clearly indicates that energy drinks have warnings that are not found on regular soft drinks.

Energy drinks also contain components found in high concentrations that do not exist in ordinary soft drinks. Today, we will discuss three main components, which are the main source of controversy:

1. Caffeine

2. Sugar

3. Taurine

First: Caffeine

Every 100 ml of energy drink contains 30–40 mg of caffeine. So, if someone drinks a can of 300–400 ml, they consume around 120–130 mg of caffeine, equivalent to three cups of strong Turkish coffee.

Caffeine gives temporary alertness and stimulation, but it may cause:

• Increased heart rate

• Raised blood pressure

• Excessive urination

• Poor sleep quality, especially deep sleep (REM stage)

And with poor sleep comes fatigue the next day, leading the person to consume more energy drinks… entering a cycle of dependence, where the body relies on them to feel “normal.”

Second: Sugar

Energy drinks contain large amounts of added sugars, strongly linked to many diseases when consumed excessively.

Third: Taurine

Taurine is a constant ingredient in all energy drinks. It is a sulfur-containing amino acid that the body naturally produces and is concentrated in the heart and brain.
But every 100 ml of energy drink contains 100 mg of taurine. A 300 ml can contains 300 mg  a large amount consumed at once.
Excessive taurine may place a burden on the kidneys, which is why some scientific papers have linked excessive energy drink consumption to kidney problems.

Additional harms of energy drinks

• Heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat

• Sleep disturbances

• Loss of electrolytes due to excessive urination

• Kidney strain

• Daily dependency due to high caffeine content

• Worse effects in teenagers, including potential hormonal disturbances

The most dangerous part: mixing energy drinks with alcohol

Some people mix energy drinks with alcohol to mask the intoxicating effects. This leads to:

• Consuming more alcohol

• Reduced perception of drunkenness

• Serious risks when driving or operating machinery

Can they be consumed in moderation?

There are no studies confirming that a single can daily causes direct harm, but the problem is that very few people stick to only one can, which leads to overconsumption and dependency.

Safer alternatives

• Regular coffee

• Instant coffee

• Only resorting to energy drinks when extremely necessary, and in very small amounts

Energy drinks may give a strong boost of alertness, but they also deliver a stronger dose of harm. It is important to educate our children and youth about their dangers because they may cause problems we are completely able to avoid.

I hope you found this information useful. 

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