Energy drinks are marketed as beverages that boost mental and physical performance. Caffeine is the most common stimulant in these drinks, but some brands contain other plant-based stimulants, such as guarana and ginseng.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the amount of caffeine in a can or bottle of energy drink can range from 80 mg to over 500 mg. For comparison, one 5-ounce coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine.
Like soda, energy drinks are also high in sugar. For example, a 250 ml can of Red Bull contains around 27.5 g of sugar.
However, studies have suggested energy drinks can have negative health implications. For example, a 2013 study by Medical News Today found that energy drinks alter the heart function of healthy adults, while another study linked energy drink consumption to other unhealthy behaviours, such as smoking.
Here are eight negative health impact energy drinks may have on you;
Caffeine intoxication
Consuming too much caffeine can result in acute caffeine intoxication, a condition that leads to people experiencing things like vomiting, seizures, increased heartbeat, and more. And while you can experience this from consuming any source of caffeine, your chances of feeling these effects are much higher with energy drinks considering how much caffeine some varieties contain.
Sleeping disorder
People who take lots of energy drinks may have difficulty falling asleep and not having enough sleep can cause a person to feel sluggish, leading them to seek a solution for their lack of energy.
Men may experience infertility
When a couple is trying to conceive, often the female’s diet is monitored with a microscope. But the male side of the equation is equally as important and if he drinks an excessive amount of energy drinks, he may experience challenges in his reproductive function and therefore have difficulty conceiving.
Possible heart problem
Irregular heartbeat is a common concern for regular energy drink consumers and general caffeine consumers alike. So if you are choosing an energy drink with excessive amounts of this stimulant, you may notice your heart beating in a way that you are not used to.
Nervousness
Consuming energy drinks is linked to increased nervousness. If you are generally a more anxious person, there may be better options than regularly drinking these beverages.
Obesity
Drinking sugary drinks does not support weight management goals. Specifically, regularly drinking energy drinks can increase your risk of developing obesity.
Dental Health
Since energy drinks are often made with sugar and the pH values are below the critical value (5.5) associated with dental erosion, drinking them can wreak havoc on your dental health. Specifically, dental erosion and cavity risk can increase.
Blood pressure
Energy drinks can increase systolic blood pressure within a brief period of time after drinking. If you are trying to manage your blood pressure in a healthy way, energy drinks are not the best beverage to include in your diet for this reason.
