REVEALED: Are energy drinks bad for you?

Energy drinks have become a daily part of many people’s diets. However recently more and more stories are coming out about addiction to them, side effects and even death as a result of excessive consumption. Should you be more careful when consuming energy drinks? Are they good for you or actually bad for your health? Let’s find out…

The energy drinks market is a $61billion dollar industry… that’s “billion” in case you thought you had read wrong! Energy drinks companies are now massive players in the food industry with lobbying power and a global reach.

Energy drinks, typically contain stimulants such as taurine and caffeine as well as certain vitamins which act as energy producers such as B vitamins. The original versions also contain sugars. The diet versions contain no sugars but do contain artificial sweeteners.

If you consider that typically, energy comes from food and it takes a good few hours for food to turn to energy and kick in, then an energy drink is a god-send especially when you need energy “now” and can’t wait. But this energy does come at a cost.

The human body has been make in a certain way and its slow production of energy is done on purpose to keep everything in balance and working efficiently. With an energy drink, you suddenly tell your body something completely different from what it is used to. You in effect put your body into over-drive.

This “over-drive” is fine every once in a while and when you really need it, but if you do it too often and start relying on energy drinks for actual energy, then you may well be setting yourself up for illness and side effects.

Stimulants such as caffeine and taurine put a stress on the body and on organs such as your adrenals. This is why for some people just one energy drink, gives them terrible side effects. For others, it may take a few for the side effects to kick in.

Energy drinks can give you side effects such as headaches, insomnia (very frequently), palpitations, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, type 2 diabetes (high consumption of caffeine reduces hormone sensitivity), convulsions and even death!

Depending on the individual, some people get on fine with energy drinks and others get some or all of the above!

So in conclusion, is there a place for energy drinks in your fridge and in your life? This depends on you. Ideally, you can use them every once in a while when you really need a boost and need it fast - such as once every 2-3 weeks. For those who consider themselves health freaks and want to remain as healthy as possible, energy drinks should not have a place in their lives.