Energy drinks promise the ability to revitalize
your mind and body, increase your energy and
sharpen your focus, but are they really safe?
For one thing, energy drinks are typically
loaded with added sugar, delivering as much
if not more than what you'd find in a soda,
and those extra energy- boosting ingredients
sound better for you than they are.
For most of these extras, like B vitamins,
ginseng, green tea extract, ginkgo biloba,
guarana, there's not much research to show
they actually deliver on their promises.
The real pick- me- up in an energy drink is
caffeine.
Some energy drinks deliver more caffeine than
two cups of coffee.
Check the serving size on your can or bottle,
and be aware that there may be more caffeine
than what's listed, since only pure caffeine
has to be counted.
That does not include coffee , tea or other
naturally caffeine- containing ingredients.
The bottom line is that energy drinks can
be fairly safe in moderation . Drinking too
much, however, may cause adverse reactions
like heart palpitations, chest pain or even
seizures.
For safer, more natural pick- me- ups, try
coffee or tea.
