2008 Woodie Awards
Energy drinks: consume with caution
Mary-Jo Lomax / Special to La Voz
Issue date: 4/24/06 Section: Features
June 5, 2006
Energy drinks are supercharged with sugar, caffeine and other caffeine-like substances such as ephedrine, ma huang and guarana. Some also have vitamins, "acid stabilizers" or other nutritious-sounding ingredients. Red Bull, Jolt, Amp and Hype are four such energy drinks.
Energy drinks are classified as functional beverages which are part of the bigger - and rapidly growing - nutraceutical food industry.
Nutraceuticals are not really foods but not really dietary supplements. As neither foods nor dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration do not regulate them.
The function of energy drinks is to boost your energy and ability to concentrate, not to quench your thirst.
Don't confuse energy drinks with sports drinks. Sports drinks are formulated to help provide energy to fatigued muscles and to help the body absorb water and glucose (sugar). Sports drinks are most beneficial if your workout exceeds one hour.
For physical activity lasting less than an hour, plain water is all you need to quench your thirst and replenish body fluid. Energy drinks dehydrate rather than hydrate.
On the subject of hydration, Red Bull's Web site has this to say: "Red Bull Energy Drink is an energy drink. It has not been formulated to deliver re-hydration.
Adequate fluid intake is critical during intense and long lasting physical performance. Without adequate fluid intake, intense physical activities may lead to dehydration. As Red Bull Energy Drink has not been formulated to deliver re-hydration, we encourage people who engage in sports also to drink lots of water during intense exercise."
This fact can be confusing to many people, especially because several energy drink companies sponsor sporting events. Energy drinks and alcohol can be a dangerous mix.
Many energy drinks are sold at bars as either an alternative to alcohol or as an alcohol mixer. This can be problematic. First, energy drinks have a diuretic effect. Add that to a night of heavy dancing and you could easily pass out from dehydration.
Second, mixing alcohol, a depressant, with an energy drink, a stimulant, sends mixed messages to your nervous system and can cause cardiac related problems.
Recently, several young people throughout the world have died after consuming energy drinks and either dancing or working out. There is no clear connection between their deaths and the energy drinks, but some health officials suspect one.
Finally, mixing alcohol with an energy drink can mask how drunk you really are. You can feel quite energetic because of the high concentration of stimulating ingredients (caffeine, sugar and ma huang).
Despite their many health claims, energy drinks aren't necessarily healthy drinks. Their super-concentrated stimulating ingredients will indeed wake you up. Too much, however, causes sleep disturbances.
As far as increasing your ability to perform better on tests, caffeine has been shown to improve simple mental tasks but not complex reasoning tasks.
If energy drinks are part of your diet, consume them with caution.
Mary-Jo Lomax is a health educator at De Anza College. For more information, visit the Health Center in the Hinson Campus Center.
Energy drinks are supercharged with sugar, caffeine and other caffeine-like substances such as ephedrine, ma huang and guarana. Some also have vitamins, "acid stabilizers" or other nutritious-sounding ingredients. Red Bull, Jolt, Amp and Hype are four such energy drinks.Energy drinks are classified as functional beverages which are part of the bigger - and rapidly growing - nutraceutical food industry.
Nutraceuticals are not really foods but not really dietary supplements. As neither foods nor dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration do not regulate them.
The function of energy drinks is to boost your energy and ability to concentrate, not to quench your thirst.
Don't confuse energy drinks with sports drinks. Sports drinks are formulated to help provide energy to fatigued muscles and to help the body absorb water and glucose (sugar). Sports drinks are most beneficial if your workout exceeds one hour.
For physical activity lasting less than an hour, plain water is all you need to quench your thirst and replenish body fluid. Energy drinks dehydrate rather than hydrate.
On the subject of hydration, Red Bull's Web site has this to say: "Red Bull Energy Drink is an energy drink. It has not been formulated to deliver re-hydration.
Adequate fluid intake is critical during intense and long lasting physical performance. Without adequate fluid intake, intense physical activities may lead to dehydration. As Red Bull Energy Drink has not been formulated to deliver re-hydration, we encourage people who engage in sports also to drink lots of water during intense exercise."
This fact can be confusing to many people, especially because several energy drink companies sponsor sporting events. Energy drinks and alcohol can be a dangerous mix.
Many energy drinks are sold at bars as either an alternative to alcohol or as an alcohol mixer. This can be problematic. First, energy drinks have a diuretic effect. Add that to a night of heavy dancing and you could easily pass out from dehydration.
Second, mixing alcohol, a depressant, with an energy drink, a stimulant, sends mixed messages to your nervous system and can cause cardiac related problems.
Recently, several young people throughout the world have died after consuming energy drinks and either dancing or working out. There is no clear connection between their deaths and the energy drinks, but some health officials suspect one.
Finally, mixing alcohol with an energy drink can mask how drunk you really are. You can feel quite energetic because of the high concentration of stimulating ingredients (caffeine, sugar and ma huang).
Despite their many health claims, energy drinks aren't necessarily healthy drinks. Their super-concentrated stimulating ingredients will indeed wake you up. Too much, however, causes sleep disturbances.
As far as increasing your ability to perform better on tests, caffeine has been shown to improve simple mental tasks but not complex reasoning tasks.
If energy drinks are part of your diet, consume them with caution.
Mary-Jo Lomax is a health educator at De Anza College. For more information, visit the Health Center in the Hinson Campus Center.
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