Common, this shouldn’t be a question. Anything that gives you that kind of rush and keeps you addicted isn’t good for you on the long run but since you want reasons, here we go.
Sometime last year the World Health Organization termed Energy drinks a “Danger to Public health”. Basically, they called it public health’s enemy number (put any number you like there) after they found out how fast people were consuming this category of beverage.
So, What Happens When We Consume Energy Drinks?
When you take energy drinks, you become better suited for any task physically and mentally. That’s the deal behind tagging them Energy drinks right nevertheless have you ever asked yourself, what’s the price my body has to pay for this?
You didn’t think it was free right? that there won’t be a reaction to such actions?
Constituents Of Energy Drinks
In most Energy drinks, there are stimulants; mainly Caffeine. Then there are other constituents like Ginseng and Guarana which are plants based, a lot of sugars, antioxidants, taurine and so on.
See what I’m doing with that list, these things are not necessarily good for the body when ingested since the body already has them in its needed amount.
Each Energy drink can contain 80-500mg of Caffeine and about 27g of Sugar. Keep in mind that a 5-ounce cup of Coffee contains 100mg of Caffeine.
What Happens In The Body With Energy Drinks?
Caffeine enters the bloodstream to get you all riled up. Press the gas pedal on your heart rate and blood pressure. Thus helping you with any task you took it for and if you took it for no reason, you become restless.
The stimulant then blocks adenosine. Adenosine is a chemical produced in the brain by the breaking down of Adenosine Triphosphate. This Chemical dictates how we feel; the tired aspect.
You take Energy drinks when you’re tired right and can’t get the job done naturally anymore? This is because your body is trying to tell you to take a break by secreting Adenosine.
Once you take in that Energy drink, it makes your body release dopamine. Dopamine also produced in the brain makes you feel great. You know that feeling you get after achieving that hard goal or passing that test, yep, that’s Dopamine.
All of the Caffeine is absorbed from the energy drink within 30-50 minutes of intake and the Liver reacts by releasing more sugar into the bloodstream.
Why You Shouldn’t Take too many Energy Drinks
Once the whole process explained above is done, your body quickly goes from 10 to -10. 10 is very great and -10 is “I’m about to lose it”. Tiredness and drowsiness kick in way higher than the normal rate it was before you consumed the energy drink.
There’s still a lot of Caffeine in your system. It will take at least 5 hours to get it out of your system given you’re not pregnant, a kid or a teenager, not on some types of drugs, or do not have liver issues. You’re overworking your liver and kidneys, they have to regulate and rectify your actions.
It’s addictive. Once you get addicted, it will take you at least 9 days to snap out of it.
Notable Side Effects
- Increased Heart rate and blood pressure.
- Heart Palpitations.
- Dehydration and weakness.
- Insomnia and Restlessness.
- Headache, Fatigue, Anxiety, Irritability, Tremors. These last ones are related to withdrawal.
Although you feel good when you take a can, is it really worth the harm it does to your body? What happens when you can stop yourself?
One group of people that bamboozles me the most is those who mix energy drinks with alcohol. Basically, you want to be strength-filled but at the same time make stupid decisions that you won’t be accountable for.
Restless, Strong, and Drunk, like that always work out well. Think twice people, it’s a simple and short life we live. All it takes for it to be all over is one silly decision.