Energy drinks: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Caitlin McNamee
Issue date: 12/7/09 Section: Features
Sometimes having that desired energy drink in the morning is the one thing a person needs to get oneself going for the day.
Energy drinks have become part of society since the early 1990's. They started out as a simple drink that could give people a boost of energy with their all natural ingredients and extra kick of caffeine but suddenly turned into a cocktail mixer when one mixed it with a favorite alcoholic beverage.
Every year $3.5 billion are spent annually on energy drink s such as Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster, and Spike. Sweeteners and vitamins are added to some energy drinks to make them more appealing to the consumer, along with the flashy cans with bright colors. The marketers for these products are succeeding as more than eight million adolescents drink energy drinks daily.
While some energy drinks are marketed for elite athletes, they are also marketed towards younger crowds. In the recent years energy drinks have turned from being an energy booster to being a booze mixer. Some energy drinks such as Red Bull is also marketed to be mixed with vodka which has become a very popular drink among young crowds.
There have been many instances with young people dying because of energy drinks and mixing them with alcohol. While mixing some energy drinks with alcohol may taste good, the effects of this could cause a more fatal risk of drinking the energy drinks. A person's blood alcohol concentration will rise with their energy, but it will dehydrate one faster than one would think. Drinking alcohol alone can cause drowsiness, slow reflexes and also a loss of coordination, however mixing alcohol with energy drinks will enhance these effects.
Many energy drinks do not replenish ones body energy like Gatorade does, however, they actually dehydrate the body even more. Even though one may feel like they have energy, they can be hurting themselves by causing dehydration. As the energy drink wears off, a person can feel the effects of it wearing down. In some extreme cases dehydration can be fatal if one does not replenish their body with the proper nutrients it needs.
Energy drinks have become part of society since the early 1990's. They started out as a simple drink that could give people a boost of energy with their all natural ingredients and extra kick of caffeine but suddenly turned into a cocktail mixer when one mixed it with a favorite alcoholic beverage.
Every year $3.5 billion are spent annually on energy drink s such as Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster, and Spike. Sweeteners and vitamins are added to some energy drinks to make them more appealing to the consumer, along with the flashy cans with bright colors. The marketers for these products are succeeding as more than eight million adolescents drink energy drinks daily.
While some energy drinks are marketed for elite athletes, they are also marketed towards younger crowds. In the recent years energy drinks have turned from being an energy booster to being a booze mixer. Some energy drinks such as Red Bull is also marketed to be mixed with vodka which has become a very popular drink among young crowds.
There have been many instances with young people dying because of energy drinks and mixing them with alcohol. While mixing some energy drinks with alcohol may taste good, the effects of this could cause a more fatal risk of drinking the energy drinks. A person's blood alcohol concentration will rise with their energy, but it will dehydrate one faster than one would think. Drinking alcohol alone can cause drowsiness, slow reflexes and also a loss of coordination, however mixing alcohol with energy drinks will enhance these effects.
Many energy drinks do not replenish ones body energy like Gatorade does, however, they actually dehydrate the body even more. Even though one may feel like they have energy, they can be hurting themselves by causing dehydration. As the energy drink wears off, a person can feel the effects of it wearing down. In some extreme cases dehydration can be fatal if one does not replenish their body with the proper nutrients it needs.
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