Energy Drinks: A Safe Way to Stay Alert or Liquid Speed

In a society contingent on speed and efficiency in one's daily life, it is not surprising to see a host of energy drinks proliferating our grocery stores, gas stations, and school vending machines.

The main controversy involving energy drinks stems from the belief that they can be hazardous to your health. Although some people might argue that in America you should be free to do what you want with your body, there is a large percentage of children and teenagers who consume energy drinks and they are targeted towards young people.

According to consumer reports, the energy drink market has skyrocketed to just over 75 percent during 2006. It has even eclipsed the market for soft drinks. "These fly off the shelf," said Linda Hwang, who owns and manages a smoke shop and convenience store in University Place, WA. "Its almost always teenagers or people who are college aged who buy these."

If individuals as well as parents are to make a more informed choice regarding energy drinks, there needs to be a greater awareness of the actual health risks associated with these drinks and the myths of their alleged benefits.

The first myth that needs to be expelled is the belief that energy drinks increase your energy because they contain healthy ingredients. Some people may fall for this since some energy drinks boast exotic-sounding ingredients.

According to the website Edrinks.net, which gives a crash course on the energy drink phenomenon, most energy drinks contain ingredients such as guarana, taurine, caffeine, cyanocobalamin, citric acid and ginseng. The website also reports that even though these ingredients are basically harmless when taken in low dosages, studies have shown that they can do major damage to people who don't know how to drink them in moderation.

Experts generally contend that Energy drinks cannot be placed in the same category as sports drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde, which actually replace fluids and replenish electrolyte (sodium) levels, which are depleted following intense physical activity. Energy drinks are in an entirely different league as they provide you with a sudden burst of alertness. "The same affect can be achieved with two or three cups of coffee," said Schuyler McHenry, a former Bally Total Fitness personal trainer with a four year degree in Health and Fitness from Ithaca College in New York. "The only difference is that the affects of two or three cups of coffee is almost immediate, whereas it would be gradual if you drink two or three cups of java."

If you need evidence that energy drinks are not the same as sports drinks, one only needs to observe who the main consumers are, according to Jesse Ewell, a Pure Fitness manager and certified personal trainer. Ewell went on to say that the energy drink crowd mostly consists of people looking for some kind of a "high". "It's not very often that I see athletes or bodybuilders drinking that stuff," said Ewell. "Mostly you see it at the dance clubs or you might have college students drinking that stuff for a late night cram session. Any athelete would want something that rehydrates them, such as Gatorade."

Night clubbers who like to mix the energy drink with vodka are adding a dangerous bullet into a Russian roulette wheel. According to edrinks.net, "Mixing energy drinks with booze causes further dehydration. This explains why raver kids are passing out at dance clubs. Energy drink cocktails cause drowsiness, loss of coordination and slow reflexes."

The possible upside to these drinks is that they do contain natural ingredients that are steeped in long standing Eastern beliefs in natural healing. Edrinks.net sites that most energy drinks, including Mountain Dew's "Amp" energy drink, have a host of B vitamins which help promote cell growth and metabolism in the human body. B vitamins can also increase cognitive learning ability and concentration. However, according to Schuyler McHenry, these are more for show than actual health benefits. "The vitamins in energy drinks are not in the right quantity and concentration to have actual health benefits," said McHenry. "Also, most of the vitamins are expelled in urine anyways."

For parents or teachers who are concerned that their children and students are addicted to energy drinks and want to raid their stash of Liquid X or RockStar, it might be a good idea to explain the actual consequences of the beverages rather than making them off limits. There is a host of information on the Internet, which is a close companion of most kids, which can give unbiased factual information regarding the health risks of energy drinks, as well as give healthier alternatives.

Even with the health risks involved, their will still be a lot of people who just want a quick high. For them, energy drinks are at least a legal alternative. But for those who look at improved health and vitality as a yard stick for success, it is probably best to steer clear of anything claiming to give you a quick burst of energy.