Do Energy Drinks Really Boost Your Energy?
Energy drinks have become a popular beverage for those who need a quick pick-me-up. They’re widely advertised as products that boost energy along with additional benefits, like enhancing mental alertness and improving physical performance.
Students often drink them during exam week, when they need to stay alert and study for long hours. Some athletes also consume these beverages when they’re training rigorously.
Do energy drinks really boost your energy, though, or is it all a placebo effect? We’re here to find out.
How Do Energy Drinks Work?
Caffeine is the main ingredient of liquid energy drinks. This chemical compound blocks adenosine in the body, which is the chemical responsible for sleep. That’s why people feel alert when they consume energy drinks. A typical 16-oz. bottle will have about 80 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, which is the same amount as an average cup of coffee. Other products, however, can provide as much as 500 mg of caffeine.
Ingesting high amounts of caffeine can cause your body to think that there’s an emergency, which activates its fight or flight response. Consequently, your body releases adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and causes dilation of the eyes. It also signals your liver to release more sugar into your bloodstream in case you need the energy to fight off or flee from predators. As a result, this biological panic response will make you feel as though you have more energy.
Another primary ingredient in energy drinks is sugar. Consuming high amounts of sugar can provide short bursts of energy, which supplements the impact of the caffeine. A typical energy drink contains between 10 – 12 teaspoons of sugar. Some concentrated products have an even higher sugar content. The intense sweetness could explain why young people like drinking liquid energy drinks more than coffee.
Are Energy Drinks Effective?
Technically, liquid energy drinks are effective and can provide you with an energy boost when you need them. However, the boost is often short-lived, and you’ll likely experience a crash when the effects wear off.
This can become dangerous when you continue consuming energy drinks to prolong your energy boost. Let’s say you need to finish an urgent project, so you continue drinking energy drinks one after the other to avoid any lulls in your day and to keep up with the looming deadline. This is extremely unhealthy; your body needs time to rest and recuperate. While you would likely be able to finish the project, your body would suffer in both the short- and long-term.
Moderation is Key
It’s important to practice moderation, especially when consuming energy drinks. You don’t want to tamper with your body’s circadian rhythms and sugar levels by drinking them regularly. Avoid tricking your body into thinking that it’s always in fight or flight mode; it’s not healthy for your brains and organs to produce those hormones excessively.
Drinking inordinate amounts of caffeine and sugar can lead to nervousness, irritability, increased blood pressure, and insomnia. Prolonged periods of caffeination can even damage your internal organs. In extreme cases, it can even lead to death.
On a similar note, never mix energy drinks and alcohol. Energy drinks can decrease the feeling of intoxication, causing you to drink more alcohol than you should. This can lead to serious alcohol-related injuries and even alcohol poisoning.
Limit your caffeine intake to a maximum of 400 mg a day from all sources, whether they’re coffee, energy drinks, tea, or soft drinks. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, you should consult with your doctor before you consume any liquid energy drinks, especially if you’re taking medication.
Strike Force Energy Drinks
Normal liquid energy drinks can give you an energy boost, but this high is usually short-lived and can lead to a crash due to its high caffeine and sugar content.
Strike Force is unique for its liquid packets and energy that actually lasts. For a liquid energy drink that will give you a boost to last, visit Strike Force Energy today!