Energy drinks are for many a great help to overcome fatigue and exhaustion.
However, their effects are usually temporary, followed by a possible decline that can lead the consumer to continue drinking these products. Have you ever wondered what can happen if you drink a lot of energy drinks every day? Here we review the available evidence.
What are energy drinks
Energy drinks, also called energy or hypertonic drinks, arise with the aim that whoever consumes them:
- Reach a higher level concentration.
- Increase your physical endurance.
- Get a feeling of well-being.
- Eliminate harmful substances from the body.
- Stimulate metabolism.
- Avoid sleep.
- Achieve faster reactions.
They should not be confused with isotonic drinks, intended to replace fluid and substances lost during physical activity. Among the main ingredients of energy drinks we find:
- Carbonated water.
- Aspartame (sweetener intended for diet versions).
- Sugars.
- Caffeine.
- D-glucurono-gammalactonna (carbohydrate).
- Guarana (herb).
- Taurine.
- Vitamins B (B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and B 12).
This ingredient combination acts on the central nervous system, inhibiting the neurotransmitters responsible for transmitting feelings of tiredness, fatigue, exhaustion or sleep, while enhancing those related to well-being and concentration.
Although they provide almost immediate energy to the body, they do not really end muscle fatigue or exhaustion, but temporarily inhibit those sensations. For this reason, it is common for decay to reappear once the effect of the drink ends.
Effects on the body
Different specialists have studied the consumption and effects on the body caused by energy drinks.
- Foods to improve concentration
Although they are not as addictive or harmful as alcoholic beverages, they can generate dependence due to their temporary effects, especially among consumers who resort to them to combat different daily problems, such as physical fatigue, insomnia, or stress.
A regular consumption of energy drinks can cause a greater probability of diseases such as diabetes or obesity. In some cases, this risk is greater, if one takes into account that many products do not respect the recommendations of the health authorities.
This was shown by a study carried out by the Federal Consumer Prosecutor’s Office (Profeco) in Mexico, which found that at least 14 energy drinks in the Mexican market exceed the recommendation for daily sugar intake for a adult issued by the World Health Organization (WHO): 25 g of sugar in a package of between 250 and 500 ml.
Another consequence that the experts highlight can be seen in children and adolescents, a population group in which the consumption of energy drinks has grown significantly in recent years.
This is because they have a lower tolerance to caffeine than adults, so there is a greater risk of experiencing cases of intoxication, characterized by causing muscle spasms and gastrointestinal problems.
What happens if you drink them every day
A recent case it could show more clearly what can happen to the body when energy drinks are abused.
As reported by a group of British doctors in BMJ Case Reports, the average intake of four cans of 500 ml of energy drinks a day for two years, led a young man of 21 years to potentially lethal heart and kidney failure.
The report details that, throughout aged four months, the young man (who remains anonymous) developed a shortness of breath that worsened each time he exerted himself or when lying down.
He also suffered episodes of indigestion, tremors, and palpitations, to the point that he had to drop out of university.
After being admitted to the intensive care unit, health professionals found that he had heart and kidney failure, at such severe levels that it was considered for a double transplant
According to experts, constant exposure to caffeine over-excites the body’s sympathetic nervous system, increasing the blood pressure and triggering heart rhythm abnormalities.
Currently, many experts agree that there is insufficient evidence or do not consider it necessary to ban energy drinks.
However, they recognize that the secret to taking advantage of its temporary effects without suffering serious damage lies in moderation, that is, up to one small can per day.
Sources consulted: US National Library of Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Federal Consumer Attorney’s Office (Profeco).