Health Risks Associated With Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are a multi-billion dollar business in the United States, and you can find them in nearly any convenience store, grocery store, gas station and anywhere else where you can buy snacks and refreshments. But if you enjoy drinking these products, you should be aware of their dangers before you consume too many of them. Following are some of the health risks associated with energy drinks that you may not have known.
Dehydration
Because of the ingredients used to make these drinks, they often make you dehydrated. Although they are advertised as being a great product for helping you get through a workout or to quench your thirst during strenuous activities, energy drinks can actually make you feel more thirsty.
Effects with Alcohol
There are many people who like to mix these beverages with alcohol. In a recent survey of college students, nearly a third of the students participating in the survey admitted to mixing an energy drink with alcohol in the last month. This is dangerous for a variety of reasons, including the possibility that the energy drink can make you feel like you are alert enough to get behind the wheel even if you have had too much alcohol to drink.
Caffeine Effects
Because these products have so much caffeine in them, one of the dangers of these types of drinks is getting addicted to the way that this substance makes you feel. When you abuse caffeine, you run the risk of many health effects, including increased blood pressure, tremors, dizziness, irregular heartbeat and others. In some cases, you may even get headaches and start vomiting.
Losing Sleep
One of the more common health risks associated with these products is losing sleep. Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and drinking energy drinks, especially during the evening, can cause you to be awake for several hours. In addition to caffeine, these drinks also have other energy-producing substances, including Guarna, ginseng and taurine. The latest that you should consume an energy drink is lunchtime if you want to make sure they do not interfere with your nightly sleeping patterns.
While energy drinks may cause several health hazards, having one occasionally isn't going to cause major problems. The dangers of these drinks typically affect those who drink them daily or have several of them in the same day. Moderation is always key, and if you feel like it is affecting your health, switch to another refreshment designed to quench your thirst and increase your energy.