Energy drinks are a comparatively new phenomenon. They appeared on the market not so long ago, but have already managed to win popularity with consumers. Their target audience is young people – strong and healthy who want and, often, need to stay awake, alert, and active for longer hours. Therefore, advertising campaigns and marketing strategies of energy drink companies aim at this age sector of the market. Producers make packaging bright and attractive; they make the taste sweet and flavored in order to appeal to young people; and they stress the characteristics which can be luring to that age category. Of course, possible adverse effects which can be triggered by excessive consumption of energy drinks are not mentioned. But they do exist and sometimes lead to rather tragic consequences, even death. Among the dangers energy drinks may pose there are cardiac problems, hormone disorders, high blood pressure, headaches, increased anxiety, type 2 diabetes, allergic reactions, addiction, etc.
Energy drinks are beverages which due to their caffeine content are said to increase alertness and mental activity. However, caffeine is only one of the ingredients that common energy drinks have. The other most frequent elements contained in energy drinks are taurine, extracts of guarana seeds, and ginseng root. Some producers also claim that their energy drinks contain milk thistle or vitamins, such as Vitamin B of different types. All the basic ingredients, viz. taurine, guarana and ginseng, seem good enough and even beneficial due to their naturalness. Taurine, for instance, is a naturally occurring amino acid. Healthy people usually produce enough taurine to make their body function well. But it is said that an extra dose of taurine which is contained in an average energy drink is not bad but rather “help with mental and physical performance” (Allan). The other two basic ingredients, such as guarana and ginseng, also seem harmless because they are said to have been traditionally used by people since old times as natural ingredients which increase mental activity, energy, and alertness. Everything seems all right with milk thistle and vitamins, too. However, there is a strong doubt if the vitamins people consume with energy drinks really work. Some researchers say that they just go in and out of body in no time (Allan). So, generally, most alarming of all energy drinks ingredients are caffeine and sugar. They are found in all varieties of energy drinks, even in diet ones, though in smaller amounts. Being not very high in caffeine content, most energy drinks are extremely sweetened, which makes them popular with the youth owing to the taste. But in addition high sugar content increases thirst and stimulates consumers to buy more and more.
So, the greatest problem with energy drinks is not the ingredients they contain but the amounts in which they are consumed. Besides, the problem is getting more aggravating as the main consumers of energy drinks are teenagers and young adults who often cannot regulate the amount of drink they take and analyze potential side effects which excessive consumption may have on their health. The most common side effect of excessive energy drinks consumption is heart problems, including palpitation, tachycardia, and even heart attack. Thus, Huffpost Healthy Living reports that a 16-year-old Lanna Hamann went into cardiac arrest and died after spending a day on the beach drinking Rocky Point (Schumaker). And such reports are not rare. Of course, not all of them have a lethal outcome, but in general statistics says that “energy drink-related emergency department visits have skyrocketed, nearly doubling between 2007 and 2011” (Schumaker). And it definitely proves that not everything is all right with energy drinks as their producers claim.
In addition to heart problems caused by an increase in caffeine in the body due to a number of energy drinks consumed, such caffeine excess can also lead to elevating blood pressure. It is especially dangerous for those who are hypertensive. Overconsumption of caffeine-containing drinks can result in strokes or other health problems pertaining to high blood tension. A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic proves energy drinks cause “a 6.4% increase in average blood pressure” (“Top 14 Energy Drinks Dangers”), which is even not very good for those with normal blood pressure, not to mention hypertensive people.
Moreover, excessive dose of caffeine may lead to an increase in nervousness, anxiety, and other emotional disorders. Researchers claim that large doses of caffeine can even cause a real panic attack (“Top 14 Energy Drinks Dangers”). This side effect is especially dangerous for immature teenagers’ minds. It is not hard to imagine possible terrible consequences of panic attacks in teenagers – from aggressiveness towards adults and their peers to dissatisfaction with life in general.
The same consequences as anxiety and extra nervousness are also observed due to another side effect of caffeine-containing energy drinks. This side effect is insomnia. It is a well-known fact that caffeine invigorates and prevents sleepiness, which is why it is a key ingredient in energy drinks aimed at keeping people awake and alert. But it is also quite clear that if an energy drink containing caffeine is consumed before a sleep time, it may prevent proper rest. Regular consumption of energy drinks, which is often the case with teenagers and young adults, can result in chronic sleep disorders and insomnia. Consequently, people who cannot have a proper rest, especially at night, tend to suffer from emotional disorders – they are nervous and dissatisfied with everything and everyone around. Finally, that constant dissatisfaction leads to aggressiveness or even violence towards others.
There is one more ingredient which can be as dangerous as caffeine if consumed in large amounts. This ingredient is sugar. As mentioned above, most energy drinks are heavily sweetened to appeal to younger consumers. In most energy drinks sugar comes in the form of cane sugar or/and fructose corn syrup. Sometimes producers want to conceal that their drinks contain sugar and write natural cane juice on the can instead. But it is actually the same cane sugar. As a result, when consumed in great amount, energy drinks can cause type 2 diabetes because the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas get worn out. Besides, a potential side effect of excessive sugar-containing drink consumption is overweight and obesity which are also closely related to type 2 diabetes, i.e. they can be either a consequence or cause of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, there are a number of less serious side effects of sugar overconsumption, which are tooth decay, addiction, etc. Those people who calm themselves down saying that they take only sugar-free energy drinks, should not relax because such sugar-free drinks contain artificial sweeteners which also cause certain doubt as to their safety, especially aspartame (“Energy Drink Side Effects”).
So, the popularity of energy drinks, especially among the youth, should be alarming due to numerous potential adverse effects their overconsumption may entail. Of course, moderate intake of such drinks does not usually cause any health problems, especially if a person is healthy enough. But due to the possibility of getting addicted to energy drinks because of caffeine and sugar contents, people tend to drink more and more of them without noticing they have gone too far and there are irrevocable changes in their organism, such as hypertension, obesity, or type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the best solution could be to abstain from consuming energy drinks at all. If people feel it is not possible for them at the moment due to study or work intensity, it is advised they should take into consideration the potential adverse effects of such drink overconsumption and try to limit the amount in order to avoid health problems.
Works Cited
Allan, Patrick. “Are Energy Drinks Bad for You?” Lifehacker 9 Nov. 2015. Web. 6 April 2016.
“Energy Drink Side Effects.” Caffeine Informer. Exis, 2016. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
Schumaker, Erin. “Just How Dangerous Are Energy Drinks, Anyway?” Huffpost Healthy Living 23 June 2014. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
“Top 14 Energy Drinks Dangers.” Caffeine Informer. Exis, 2016. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
