Energy drinks are consumed all around the world regularly, and some individuals even replace water with other flavored drinks. Currently, there is a multitude of brands offering a wide selection of energy drinks that come in different shapes and sizes.
Let’s discuss what an energy drink is and why it’s referred to as such.
What is an energy drink and why is it called that?
An energy drink is a liquid refreshment advertised to make a human body more energetic and increase its overall performance. It contains stimulant ingredients such as caffeine, sugar, and different kinds of vitamins that a body needs to energize itself.
Teenagers tend to replace water and electrolytes with these types of drinks during any sports or physical activity. These drinks are referred to as such because they give humans a temporary energy boost that wears off after some time.
The main cause of this is the high amount of caffeine in these energy drinks which increases blood flow and directly affects the body’s muscles, heart, and central nervous system.
Difference between energy drinks and sports drinks
Energy drinks contain ingredients such as caffeine which give an energy boost to the human body’s performance. However, this boost is only temporary and its effects will wear off after 4 to 5 hours.
Sports drinks, on the other hand, are a substitute for water and are used for hydration during acrobatic or physical activities. They are made without stimulants like caffeine and only contain carbohydrates and electrolytes.
You lose these molecules during physical exercise and they are added to sports drinks to help maintain them in the human body.
Can energy drinks make you awake?
Energy drinks can affect your sleep because they contain a high amount of caffeine. One study examined the results of caffeine intake at 0, 3, and 6 hours before bed, and concluded that even caffeine consumed 6 hours before bed might cut back sleep time by an hour.
Caffeine will provide a burst of energy because it stimulates the central nervous system. The general public drinks coffee in the morning for assistance in waking up. However, caffeine consumed at midnight will cause additional harm instead of benefits.
Even though caffeine can boost cognitive function in the severely fatigued state, it cannot permanently ward off sleep or fix the effects of long-term sleep loss. Caffeine may marginally boost performance, but it is no substitute for a quiet, restorative night of sleep.
It is additionally projected that the effectiveness of caffeine varies depending on the dose and also the state of the individual.
Coffee vs energy drinks
Coffee is often compared to energy drinks as both of them have their pros and cons. Energy drinks are often banned by most educational institutions because of the harm they can bring to the human body, but coffee is tolerated. Is this judgment biased or not? Let’s find out.
Energy drink fans often argue that an ounce of an energy drink contains 10 milligrams of caffeine while an ounce of coffee has 18 milligrams.
The truth is that caffeine is not the only harmful thing in these beverages. A Monster energy drink has 54 grams of sugar, which is around 13 teaspoons, along with ingredients such as amino acids and dyes.
Coffee’s effects have been researched more than energy drinks which proves that it is less harmful.
Plus, a point to remember is that coffee is usually sipped at a leisurely pace rather than consumed quickly like an energy drink, which means that caffeine works at a faster rate in an energy drink.
Today’s media, however, cannot be trusted like before as it overemphasizes the truth so that people reading their report can get hooked to the content. Both beverages have disadvantages but, as the media falsely states, they do not cause gloomy side effects when consumed in small amounts.
| Coffee | Energy drinks |
| About 80-200mg of caffeine | On avg. 110-150mg of caffeine |
| Naturally Sugar-free | Contain sugar or artificial sweeteners |
| Requires a bit of effort to prepare | Convenient |
| Cost-effective | A bit pricey |
| Contains no dubious ingredients | Can contain some dubious ingredients |
| Fewer flavor options | More flavor options |
Why do people nowadays consume loads of energy drinks?
The most popular reason for consuming energy drinks is to enhance mental alertness by making the brain function better. Energy drinks improve brain function, reaction time, memory, and concentration. The most responsible ingredients for these actions are caffeine and sugar.
People also consume these to help them work efficiently when they are sleepy or extremely tired. Drivers on long journeys prefer having caffeinated drinks so that they can continue without rest.
People with night shifts are also often seen using energy drinks to help them complete their job requirements.
WHO (world health organization) tells that energy drinks should not be consumed by children and teenagers. The reason behind this is that caffeine in these energy drinks places them at a big risk of making them dependent on or addicted to caffeine.
This substance also has a bad effect on the developing heart and brains of these young children. Another reason for not letting them drink energy drinks is that the ingredients used to make them can affect their future of becoming parents.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that energy drinks can benefit you in some ways, for example, increasing brain function and helping in making you function when you are sleep-deprived or tired.
They are a really good supplement to take when you are exhausted, but there are several health issues with energy drinks that mostly come with excessive caffeine intake, mixing them with alcohol, and high sugar content.
If people want to rely on energy drinks then they should limit their intake to 300ml (10 ounces) per day and should ban energy shots from their lives. They should also try to decrease their consumption of other caffeinated beverages so that harmful side effects can be avoided.