The effect of energy drinks on health: harm and benefits for the body. Energy drinks and their effect on the body: benefits and harms What often leads to the use of energy drinks

Hello! Today we will talk about energy drinks. A question that I, as an addiction specialist, am often asked: “Are energy drinks harmful? Or is this another myth? I remember my husband and I went to St. Petersburg. It was his second day behind the wheel. My eyes closed on their own; I urgently needed to cheer myself up and mobilize my physical and mental capabilities. At the nearest gas station we bought two cans of energy drink and safely reached our destination. I remember another incident. A young guy was brought to the drug treatment center where I work in a state of acute psychosis (he was taken from the top of a tree), which developed after drinking an energy drink. I know that after coding for alcoholism, many become addicted to taking energy drinks. So, energy drinks: benefits and harm.

First, let's highlight the two most important contradictions.

One side: the use of energy drinks is gaining more and more popularity among young people every year.
The other side: the use of energy drinks in most cases does not bring success, victories and achievements, but, on the contrary, more and more often people turn to doctors with various ailments.

Medicine is skeptical and has different views on the effects of these drinks on the body. Some argue that energy products do not bring any harm or benefit and their use is pointless. Others defend the point of view that there are much more negative effects on the body than positive ones.

Hundreds of advertisements on television say that to invigorate the body you need to drink a can of energy drink, and then your performance will increase many times, but is there any truth in these advertisements? What is hidden behind advertising banners and labels?

Let's understand the concept of Energy drinks

Energy drinks are non-alcoholic drinks aimed at stimulating the body's performance.
It is believed that energy drinks appeared not so long ago, however, this is a misconception. Back in 1938, the first stimulating drink, Lukozade, was created for athletes, but this led to the departure of people.

Also, for example, back in 1994, the Redbull company was created, which to this day is gaining enormous popularity among people who consume energy drinks.

The main purpose of drinks is to make your body work as quickly as possible, however, all this leads to its complete depletion. Remember, nothing happens to the body without consequences.

It is a mistake that energy drinks can be consumed before training. Just think about the strain placed on the performance of your heart! He not only has to spend energy on stimulating your body, but also on the work that you do in the gym.

There are a huge number of cases of negative impacts from energy drinks. For example, one girl drank an energy drink before a disco, and after a while she became so ill that she had to call an ambulance.

Or one young athlete decided to cheer up before the competition and drank a can of energy drink. While performing one of the exercises, his heart could not withstand the load and ruptured, this story ended, accordingly, with death.

In some European countries Energy drinks can only be purchased with a doctor's prescription at the pharmacy!

Energy drinks: benefits and harms

Modern society lives in an ever-accelerating life. It's no secret that in order to keep up with the rapidly slipping time, you need to spur yourself on with something. Few of us imagine our morning without an invigorating cup of coffee, but even this is not enough: inventive humanity has come up with energy drinks. Well, great! I drank it, and it was as if I had renewed the battery inside myself! Is this really true?

The history of the invention of energy drinks

It is not surprising that the first energy drink appeared in Japan. Country Rising Sun characterized by a frantic pace of life, in which there is almost no place for rest. This discovery took place back in the 60s of the last century, but the world did not immediately become delighted with it. Energy drinks came to Europe only in the late 80s, and appeared in America even later - in the 90s of the twentieth century.

The ever-accelerating pace of existence in most civilized countries of the world eventually demanded the slightly forgotten invention of Japanese minds, and from about the mid-2000s, energy drinks gained extraordinary popularity, which they maintain to this day. The growing rate of consumption of such drinks has caused serious concern to the World Health Organization: in just 4 years (2008–2012) in the United States of America, the growth in sales of stimulating treats has increased by more than one and a half times, or rather by 60%! Moreover, the main consumers of energy drinks are young and middle-aged teenagers.

Composition and effect on the human body

Why is the world organization that guards the health of humanity so concerned about this fact? Energy drink manufacturers have their own truth, which they promote through creative, aggressive advertising that attracts teenagers.

A boy or girl with a bright, attractive jar in his hand is a free and happy person who knows how to live life to the fullest! This template easily found its way to the hearts of young people.

Bright jars are attractive to young people

The commercial interests of companies producing energy drinks dictate the need for them to assert that these drinks bring nothing but good. In fact, this is not entirely true. First, let's analyze the composition typical for any energy drink:

The main active ingredient is caffeine, which stimulates mental activity, for which it is enough to consume it in an amount of 100 mg. Double the dose of caffeine can boost activity cardiovascular system, and for this you already need to drink a few cans of energy drink.
Taurine. This is the name of an amino acid that is formed in the human body, more precisely, in its muscle tissue. In moderation, it takes care of the normal intensity of heart contractions.
Carnitine is an amino acid synthesized by the human liver by transforming methionine and lysine. Without its presence in the body, fat and energy metabolism will be impossible.
Medicinal plants that have a tonic effect are ginseng and guarana. These natural ingredients help with physical activity, fight the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels and cleanse liver cells. However, some doctors are not inclined to attribute such serious healing properties to these plants.
Vitamins. It will probably be superfluous to talk about the role of vitamins - everyone knows this. However, you should also know that, starting from a certain dose, these substances are no longer absorbed by the body and simply “fly by” to the exit.
Green tea extract - matein. It is believed that it helps fight excess weight by dulling the feeling of hunger.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain and provides the daily rhythm of human life.

What are the dangers of energy drinks and what are the consequences of their constant use?

So, it would seem that energy drinks contain so many beneficial components. What is the truth? Of course, for an adult, drinking a can of energy drink to improve tone will not harm anything, if you do it only from time to time. However, as already mentioned, the main adherents of this dubious delicacy are precisely children, for whom it is strictly not recommended to consume components such as caffeine. And these are not all the arguments that testify against energy workers:

These drinks, unlike ordinary soft waters, cannot be consumed uncontrollably, without observing the dosage: exceeding the norm can lead to an attack of hypertension or a jump in blood glucose levels in people suffering from diabetes and hypertension. In a number of countries, energy drinks are recommended for sale not in regular grocery stores, but only in pharmacy chains.
The presence of vitamins in energy drinks does not make them useful at all - vitamins are beneficial only when taken in doses.
The statement that the drink provides additional energy is fundamentally wrong - it only releases the body’s own energy, which over time will certainly bring negative results. Imagine what would happen if you mercilessly whipped a tired horse, forcing it to run faster. So it is with the body - over time it will respond to constant stimulation with insomnia, loss of strength, irritability and even depression.
Overdosing on caffeine will cause addiction over time, as well as depletion of the nervous system. A person will need larger and larger doses to boost the body. The consequence may be tachycardia (increased heart rate), overexcitation and chronic sleep disturbance. As mentioned above, caffeine is categorically not recommended for children's bodies.
Energy drinks stimulate increased urination, and valuable microelements, such as potassium, necessary for the functioning of the heart muscle, leave the body with urine.

Abuse of energy drinks can lead to neurological disorders

Based on information about energy workers, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Energy drinks are strictly not recommended for use by children, especially young teenagers;
uncontrolled use of energy drinks is dangerous for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the central nervous system;
Energy drinks are not recommended for pregnant and lactating women.

You need to understand that these drinks cannot be identified with ordinary lemonade or lemonade, with which you can quench your thirst. High doses of caffeine consumed by children can lead to drug addiction, decreased mental abilities and neurological disorders.

Natural juices- a great alternative to quench your thirst

The fashion among young people to drink energy drinks with alcoholic drinks is dangerous.. This combination greatly aggravates negative impact energy drinks on the body for the reason that these two components act in antiphase: alcohol depresses the nervous system, and energy drinks stimulate it. This leads to the person losing control of himself and drinking more alcohol than he would have without the energy drink. This condition is extremely dangerous because it increases the risk of developing alcohol poisoning and loss of control over one’s behavior.

Considering all of the above, it seems appropriate to ban energy drinks in some countries - Turkey, Denmark, Iceland, etc. Such a ban is also in force in a number of American states, and in the countries of the European Union certain restrictions have been adopted on the sale of these drinks and special warning labels have been introduced on the packaging . In Hungary, for example, a manufacturer of energy drinks pays a special tax for harmfulness, and in Australia and New Zealand such companies are subject to special registration. There are no restrictive measures in Russia yet, although health authorities insist on the advisability of such a step.

Video: the dangers of energy drinks

If you need to add energy to your body, it’s better to brew a cup aromatic coffee or treat yourself to a few cubes of chocolate. This is much healthier than drinking energy drinks. In response to this, your grateful body will produce the necessary portion of serotonin for you - the “hormone of joy.” Well, the best and healthiest way to quench your thirst is with freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices or table mineral water.

Energy drink (the so-called "energy drink") is very popular in all developed countries peace. The reason for its popularity is simple: the comparative cheapness of the drink and the invigorating (tonic) effect it provides.

In fact, an energy drink is a more effective analogue of coffee, which also quenches your thirst. The variety of flavors of energy drinks is also one of the reasons for the popularity of this drink.

But how dangerous is it to drink energy drinks? In this article we will try to understand how dangerous and harmful it is to drink energy drinks.

Energy drinks entered widespread production in 1984. To put it simply, these are drinks created using a combination of various stimulating substances and additional components (vitamins, flavors, dyes, and so on).

They are created to stimulate the central nervous system. Due to this, a significant reduction in fatigue is achieved, and mental performance increases, but for a limited period (up to 6-8 hours).

Composition of various energy drinks in the vast majority of cases the same. It includes the following substances:

Caffeine. The main component of energy drinks, which has a tonic and invigorating effect. It should also be noted that caffeine significantly increases heart rate (up to 120 beats per minute).
Mate. It is an analogue of caffeine and gives the same effect, but to a lesser extent.
Ginseng and guarana. Both are natural (i.e. not synthesized) CNS stimulants.
Sucrose and glucose are universal energy for the body, simple carbohydrates. Once in the body, these substances quickly have a stimulating effect, primarily entering the brain, reducing the desire to sleep and stimulating its activity.
Taurine. An amino acid that accelerates metabolism, quickly provides energy to the body, and is another central nervous system stimulant.
Theobromine. In its pure form it is toxic, but energy drinks contain theobromine that has undergone chemical treatment. Is a tonic.
Phenylalanine. Adds flavor to the drink.
B vitamins.

The impact of energy drinks on the human body

The use of energy drinks directly affects a person's sleep. To be more precise, chronic persistent insomnia develops, and existing sleep becomes pathological. The patient may have nightmares, any external stimuli cause him to wake up, and after sleep there is no feeling of vigor and “new strength”. This is the so-called rollback.

Over time, mood lability (its instability), suspiciousness, irritability, excessive anger and aggressiveness develops. The world in the patient’s mind loses color, which usually indicates the onset of depression.

Organic lesions include the development of prolonged sinus tachycardia, extrasystoles (a feeling of heart failure), and high blood pressure. Often persistent constipation or, on the contrary, diarrhea occurs.

What are the harms of energy drinks?

Negative consequences of taking Energy drinks have not raised questions among doctors for a long time. It is a well-known fact that they are very harmful to health, namely (we are talking about long-term regular use):

Increase the likelihood of developing diabetes.
Disturbs the functioning of the central nervous system.
They create problems with the performance of the heart and the cardiovascular system as a whole.
Cause pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
They lead to mental disorders and reduce libido.
Can cause serious diseases (thrombosis, epilepsy, anaphylaxis).
They reduce ability to work, attention, and interest in the world around them.

Harm from energy drinks (video)

Is it addictive?

Unfortunately, everything modern research energy drinks are said to be persistent and highly addictive. Moreover, in some people this addiction is as strong as in patients with alcoholism.

Apparently, a solution to this problem will not be found in the near future. In many countries, the use of energy drinks is not regulated in any way, and propaganda against their use is kept to a minimum.

Who is dangerous/contraindicated to drink energy drinks?

Abuse of energy drinks harms absolutely all people. However, there are categories of people for whom energy drinks are particularly harmful.

These people include:

people with chronic diseases of the circulatory system (especially patients with thrombophilia);
patients with diabetes mellitus;
patients with heart disease;
patients with kidney and gastrointestinal diseases;
people with chronic high blood pressure;
people suffering from insomnia;
teenagers;
people over fifty years of age;
pregnant women;
patients with glaucoma;
patients with a history of cerebral circulatory disorders;
patients with diseases of the central nervous system.

Is it possible to overdose?

Unfortunately, in addition to the benefits, energy drinks also pose a real danger to the human body. An overdose of such drinks causes serious poisoning, leading to overload of the central nervous system and increased stress on the arteries and heart.

An overdose of energy drinks usually occurs against the background of their frequent use for carrying out some kind of intellectual work. Statistically, energy drink poisoning most often occurs in students before an exam and in knowledge workers (programmers, writers, professional gamers, etc.).

The reason for overdosing on energy drinks is that they increase the body's performance by increasing the load on all its systems. The cardiovascular and central systems suffer the most nervous system, which with large consumption of energy drinks work for wear and tear.

Simply put, energy drinks turn on the body's backup systems for a long period of time, whereas they are designed to work for a short period of time ( no more than 30 minutes and only in critical situations).

Symptoms of an energy drink overdose

Symptoms of poisoning(overdoses) of energy drinks are as follows:

a significant increase in heart rate (up to 160 beats per minute);
persistent and prolonged insomnia;
irritability, aggressiveness;
facial redness and feeling of heat;
increased blood pressure;
diarrhea;
tremor of the limbs;
impaired coordination of movements;
frequent urination (less often, inability to control it);
cold sweat;
increased body temperature;
repeated vomiting, sometimes without relief;
anxiety, panic, suspiciousness;
confusion;
visual and auditory hallucinations;
loss of consciousness (syncope).

Possible consequences

Consequences of frequent use energy drinks, as well as an overdose of them, are quite serious.

Let's try to list all of them (according to PubMed):

Decreased libido, impotence.
Gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis and heartburn develop especially often).
Cognitive impairment, including problems with academic performance in adolescents.
Development of mental illness.
Depression, apathy, indifference, aggressiveness.
Cardiac dysfunction, thrombosis.
Persistent chronic insomnia.
Overexcitement, nervous tics.
Seizures, epilepsy.
Decreased interest and motivation.
Fatal outcome (relatively rare).

First aid and further treatment

If you suspect an overdose of energy drinks, the patient should immediately call an ambulance. Before her arrival, you should give him 2-3 liters of warm water and induce vomiting. This is quite simple to do: after the patient drinks warm water, you need to press your finger on the root of his tongue.

After vomiting, the patient should be given 10-12 tablets activated carbon. To neutralize caffeine, if possible, the patient should be given green tea or milk. Dishes with magnesium (cabbage, avocado) may be beneficial.

In the hospital, the patient's stomach will be rinsed again and an IV will be placed. Treatment will be carried out with an emphasis on detoxifying the body and “unloading” the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Man has always encouraged himself with various energy substances and drinks, without overly burdening himself with thoughts about their benefits and harms. And if they were before natural products, such as coca leaves, then various synthesized energy drinks are wildly popular among today's youth.

The harm of energy drinks does not bother them at all, and prolonging the time of enjoying themselves at a party or disco takes precedence over the understanding that the consequences of such fun will sooner or later make themselves felt.

Older people, on the contrary, tend to exaggerate the danger, but their concern is truly justified. A series of deaths caused by an overdose or a combination of energy drinks with alcohol or recreational drugs has forced the governments of some countries to decide to directly ban or allow the sale of energy drinks only in pharmacy chains.

What are energy drinks

Energy drinks are, as a rule, carbonated drinks, the components of which have a stimulating effect on the nervous, cardiovascular and endocrine systems and cause a feeling of a surge of strength and a feeling of vigor from 1 to 2-3 hours.

Doctors say that taking even one acceptable dose of energy drink has such an invigorating effect on the adult body, but after the euphoria subsides, a mandatory 3-4 hour rest is necessary.

The era of modern energy drinks began with the enhancement of the famous Taiwanese tonic Krating Daeng by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz with modern chemical derivatives. As a result of such “adaptation” and aggressive advertising, Red Bull energy drink has captivated young people on all continents.

But Red Bull did not remain a monopolist in this market sector for long. Coca-Cola and Pepsi immediately joined the production of energy drinks. Each of the TMs acquired its own energy drinks - Adrenaline Rush, Burn, AMP and NOS.

Other competing energy drinks are not as popular on the domestic market, but their effect on the body is no less dangerous. Among them are Red Devil, Non-Stop, B-52, Tiger, Jaguar, Revo, Hype, Rockstar, Monster, Frappuccino and Cocaine. The latter turned out to be so harmful that its release in the United States was banned twice. However, Reduz Beverages is not going to stop production, and Cocaine energy drink can be freely purchased in online stores.

Are energy drinks harmful? Yes, the negative effects of energy drinks on the body have been proven. However, manufacturers convince that they are harmless if you drink 1, maximum 2 cans per day. But even here, some companies resort to prohibited techniques that can have deadly consequences. For example, the company that produces Mountain Dew Amp energy drink decided to give 2 times more energy - this energy drink is sold only in 0.66 liter cans.

Components of energy drinks and isotonic drinks

Purely technically, energy workers are classified as “ Nutritional supplements" This is what allows manufacturers not to indicate the exact composition of the energy drink, and therefore intoxication and overdose of energy drinks have become a common problem.

In fact, all energy drinks consist of the same components - caffeine, taurine, glucose. To these “three pillars”, each manufacturer adds components that enhance the stimulating effect of energy drinks on the body - ginseng or Chinese lemongrass, extract from guarana seeds, melatonin, matein, as well as vitamins B, C and PP. It is this combination of active ingredients that causes energy drinks to be harmful to teenagers.

For your information, in a can of Red Bull (0.33 l) daily norm glucose is 300 times higher, vitamin B6 is 2.5 times higher, vitamin B12 is 50% higher, and the caffeine content is the same as in 3 cups of strong coffee.

In addition, in the process of degradation of one of the components of the energy drink, the formation of cocaine is possible. What then can we say about how Cocaine energy drink can act on a growing body, since its manufacturers claim a 350% superiority of all components over Red Bull.

For some reason, some teenagers are sure that when consuming energy drinks, some kind of energetic cleansing of the body occurs. Although here it is more appropriate to say that it will be necessary to cleanse the body of an excess of some of its components.

Some young athletes are sure that there is no difference between energy drinks and special “sports” drinks - isotonics. In fact, it is fundamental. Dry mixtures or ready-made iso-osmotic drinks consist of fructose, vitamins and mineral salts, maltodextrin and an acidity regulator.

The isosmotic composition, verified in medical laboratories, helps during physical activity - the body can more easily tolerate fluid deficiency, maintain a normal water-salt balance, and replenish the supply of glycogen, vitamins and minerals. The composition, dosage and method of using isotonics are described in detail on the packages.

Why are energy drinks harmful to the body?

The benefits and harms of energy drinks are incomparable, especially considering that it is now rare to meet a completely healthy person. The active ingredients of energy drinks cause the body to work in a stressful state, and 2-3 hours of hyperactivity leads to depletion of resources internal organs. After the end of the euphoric effect of the energy drink, most experience a loss of strength, irritability and depression.

If a person drinks too much energy drinks, the following symptoms and consequences may be observed:

caffeine and mateine – tachycardia, borderline changes in blood pressure, anxiety, cardiac arrest;
taurine – gastritis, exacerbation of ulcers, arrhythmia, increased nervousness;
group of vitamins B - redness of the skin, heavy sweating, swelling of the face, dizziness, numbness and trembling in the extremities, convulsions, suffocation, increased acidity of gastric juice, blockage of the kidney tubules, triggering the development of fatty liver degeneration, allergic reactions, urticaria, heart pain, edema lungs, anaphylactic shock;
glucose, fructose – caries, obesity, diabetes;
melatonin – nausea, vomiting, relapse of allergic diseases, exacerbation of kidney disease, epilepsy attack;
guarana – side effects little studied, but the symptoms are similar to caffeine overdose, since the seeds of the plant contain natural pacemakers theophylline and theobromine;
ginseng - headache, dizziness, insomnia, sharp drop in blood pressure, swelling, tachycardia, fever, women may have miscarriages.

Glucuronolactone is particularly dangerous in energy drinks. This substance was created at the American military laboratory DARPA as part of the Supersoldier program.

In small therapeutic doses, it helps cleanse the body of harmful substances and fight fatigue. But the amount of glucuronolactone contained in energy drinks leads to exacerbation of liver pathologies and can cause hyperglycemic coma.

In addition to the above, energy drinks can cause addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and suicidal thoughts. Long-term use of energy drinks leads to a decrease in sexual function, psychopathic personality, accompanied by a sharp change in mood, incontinence of affects, and social decline.

Is it possible to get poisoned by an energy drink and is it possible to die?

Any discussion on the harm or benefit of energy drinks ends with facts that have been proven, not in theory, but in practice, that taking them leads to death. The sad statistics are headed by energy drinks 5-Hour Energy and Monster. The main cause of death is suffocation and cardiac arrest.

Death from energy drinks can occur as a result of simultaneous use of them with alcoholic beverages or drugs. You can also get poisoned by energy drink when mixing it with coffee, strong tea or mate.

Undesirable consequences, including deaths, have been recorded when taking energy drinks the day before, during or after sports training.

However, the dishonesty of energy drink manufacturers can also cause death due to an unintentional overdose (for example, you can drink 2 cans of energy drink, but this does not apply to Cocaine, because two of its standard cans contain a dose 6 times higher than the safe concentration). Many teenagers, remembering that they can drink 300-600 ml of the drink, without any fear, drink ten 60 ml bottles of Red Bull Shot, not realizing that they exceed the permissible dose by 20 times.

For whom is the use of energy drinks contraindicated?

Despite the invented rules for the reasonable use of energy drinks, their use is strictly prohibited to the following persons:

pregnant and breastfeeding women;
children, adolescents under 18 years of age and the elderly;
hypertensive patients and people with cardiovascular diseases and thrombophlebitis;
for renal and liver failure, pancreatic diseases;
for persistent sleep disorders;
ulcer sufferers, diabetics, epileptics;
people suffering from glaucoma.

Healthy people should remember that the harm or benefit of drinking energy drinks will depend solely on compliance with the dosage.

How to improve performance

If the body tolerates caffeine well, but a cup of coffee is not enough, then a mixture of instant coffee and Coca-Cola will invigorate it well.

If you have a healthy stomach, then as a strong energy drink you can try drinking 130-150 ml of freshly squeezed water once lemon juice. However, it is also not recommended to get carried away with such homemade energy drinks.

As a means of stimulating brain activity, it is not necessary to drink caffeinated energy drinks. Enough to buy pharmaceutical drug Taurine. However, before taking it, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications, and also remember that in large dosages this amino acid leads to the opposite “calming” effect and inhibition of nervous processes occurs.

For people actively involved in sports or experiencing heavy physical activity, it is recommended to take isotonic drinks rather than energy drinks. These energy drinks have no contraindications and promote fairly rapid recovery of the body.

IN modern world Humans are naturally multitasking, and in order to complete all assigned tasks, they need a boost of energy. Many people, in order to constantly be in good shape, use stimulants for this: some drink coffee, others energy drinks.

Some manufacturers claim that energy drinks (drinks) are safe, but this is far from true. Therefore, before you relieve fatigue with an energy drink, think about the effect it has on the body.

History of the first power engineers

Drinks that stimulate the brain and physical activity , - the invention is not new. The first such product was created back in the 12th century in Germany, but then it was not particularly popular.

In the 20th century, Smith-Klein Beechamon prepared a similar drink for an English team of athletes, but this almost led to mass poisoning laziness. However, this fact did not reduce the popularity of the stimulant.

In the 60s of the last century, Japanese scientists began to create a new energy source. They were based on Beachamon's theory. This drink entered mass production in the 80s of the 20th century.

The most famous product, Red Bull, was developed by the Austrian Dietrich Mateschets. It was on the basis of this drink that a large number of analogues were created.

Impact on the body

Due to the fact that this drink contains caffeine present and glucose, it has an invigorating effect. And due to the carbonation, the effect of its use begins to appear very quickly.

Special energy cocktails have been developed for athletes, which have a stimulating effect, as they contain vitamins, inositol and sugar. The cheerful state after using this product lasts for 4 hours. However, when this time passes, the person begins to feel extreme fatigue and lethargy.

Positive effects on the body can only be noticed when you start drinking energy drinks. People feel high tide energy, their performance increases. However, at the same time, the body is subjected to severe stress and shock.

The components that are present in the drink have a negative effect on sleep. The man begins suffer from insomnia, the quality of sleep deteriorates significantly.

Regular consumption of energy drinks increases the likelihood of depression. The person becomes depressed and constantly suffers from headaches. If you do not stop using this product in time, it can even lead to death.

During constant consumption of such drinking, the following changes and lesions occur:

blood sugar levels rise above normal;
interruptions in the functioning of the heart occur, as it receives excessive load;
blood pressure increases;
heartbeat increases greatly;
the body's overall defenses decline.

Composition of the drink

Despite the fact that now there are many most different varieties of this product, their composition is almost identical.

Energy drinks include the following components:

caffeine is a substance that activates the brain, and it also increases the heart rate;
melatonin is an antioxidant, it helps in regulating the human circadian rhythm;
taurine is an antioxidant that has a powerful effect by accelerating metabolism;
matein is a component that reduces hunger and helps you lose extra pounds;
guarana and ginseng are natural extracts, they remove lactic acid from cells and also cleanse the liver;
oxidizing fatty acids;
L-carnitine;
fructose, sucrose and glucose take an active part in stimulating brain function and help a person stay awake;
phenylanine improves the taste of the product;
B vitamins help normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

Consequences of overdose

At excessive consumption such a drink overdose possible which has the following symptoms:

stomach ache;
exacerbation of ulcers;
gastritis;
arrhythmia;
high body temperature;
diarrhea;
problems with heart function;
fainting;
clouded consciousness;
vomit;
auditory and visual hallucinations.

If you notice such manifestations, you should immediately stop consuming the dangerous product and immediately seek qualified help.

The harm of energy drinks

This product does not have any effect on the human body in a moderate dose. disastrous effect. A negative reaction can occur when a person begins to abuse energy drinks.

Constant use can cause:

the occurrence of diabetes mellitus;
problems with the central nervous system;
thrombosis;
decreased libido;
psychological disorders;
epilepsy;
problems in the functioning of the heart and cardiovascular system as a whole.

Please note that such drinks can be addictive. They are very dangerous for teenagers, since their body is not yet fully formed and is quite sensitive to severe stress.

With regular use of such stimulants consequences for the body may be as follows:

suicidal behavior;
loss of consciousness;
miscarriage if a pregnant woman took the drink;
frequent and severe headaches;
psychological disorders;
gastrointestinal disorder;
exacerbation of phobias;
loss of performance.

Contraindications to taking energy drinks

children;
teenagers;
elderly people;
pregnant women;
women who are breastfeeding;
people who have chronic diseases;
patients with diabetes mellitus have chronically high blood pressure;
people who have heart pathologies, circulatory system or central nervous system.

If you use stimulants of this kind correctly, you can minimize the negative impact on the body. To stay healthy and feel energized, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

Study the composition of the drink in detail and make sure that it does not contain components that can provoke an allergic reaction.
You can drink no more than 500 ml of stimulant per day.
When the effect of the energy drink ends, you need to rest well and get enough sleep so that the body can fully recover.
If you want to drink several cans, then you should do this with a short break.
Athletes are recommended to drink this product before training.
Do not combine energy drinks with tea, coffee and medications.
It is prohibited to mix stimulants with alcohol.

List of natural energy drinks

Energy drinks can be seen natural means, which have a similar effect, but do not harm the body:

Citrus. In many countries, it is customary to drink orange or pomegranate juice in the morning. These drinks contain large amounts of vitamin C, so they can provide an energy boost throughout the day. It is not at all necessary to make citrus juice; you can just eat an orange in the morning.
Echinacea. This herb not only strengthens the immune system, but also gently stimulates the adrenal cortex, which produces hormones. It has anti-allergenic and anti-rheumatic effects. There are several dosage forms of this plant in the pharmacy. So, you can find tablets, alcohol tincture, dry echinacea for brewing.
Eleutherococcus. This tincture is distinguished by its tonic, invigorating and restorative properties. It is often prescribed for poor appetite and stress. This drug has the same invigorating effect as coffee, but without the unpleasant side effects.
Schisandra. The infusion is prepared from the fruits and leaves of lemongrass. The plant stimulates the cerebral cortex well. This remedy is perfect for those who begin to lose energy in the middle of the day and cannot concentrate. Schisandra will be useful for hypotensive patients, as the tincture raises blood pressure.
Ginseng. This tincture can be found in any pharmacy. It stimulates the immune system well and has a tonic effect. This drug should be taken if you are tired or depressed. The tincture also helps relieve inflammation and improves the body's immunity.
Green tea. This natural energy source is present in almost any home. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink it at night, as it not only tones, but also improves metabolism.
St. John's wort. The natural antidepressant is quite effective, so it can replace harmful drinks. St. John's wort reduces the amount of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. It also enhances the production of dopamine and serotonin - anti-stress hormones.

You can prepare this drug at home. For this you will need St. John's wort, borage and verbena. All ingredients should be taken one spoon at a time. Next, you need to pour a glass of boiling water over them. The broth must be strained and only then drunk. The effect of this product can be felt after 6 weeks. Please note that this remedy cannot be used in combination with other antidepressants.

Top 5 energy drinks

The most popular energy drinks include the following:

Redbull. Originally from Thailand, it appeared in 1980. It is not harmless, since it contains a huge number of stimulants and harmful additives. Despite the huge number of dangerous components, this energy drink is the most popular.
Berne. This drink was developed by the Coca-Cola company. One can of this drink contains the same amount of caffeine as a regular cup of coffee.
Monster. The drink contains a huge amount of sugar and caffeine. Their norm is exceeded several times.
Cocaine. The caffeine and taurine content in this energy drink is 350% higher than in Red Bull. You will not find such a product on the open market, since its sale was prohibited immediately after the start of production.
Rockstar. This non-alcoholic drink is especially suitable for fans of extreme sports. However, it is better for neither athletes nor ordinary people to consume such a product.

Other energy drinks include Dynamite, Effect, and Adrenaline Rush. Energy drinks can be either non-alcoholic or alcoholic. The latter options and their impact on health are disastrous.