Energy drinks date back as the early 1960s. By 2001, the US energy drink market alone had grown to nearly 8 million per year and over the next 5 years, it grew an average of over 50% per year, totaling over $3 billion in 2005 and an estimated $10 billion by 2010.
Energy drinks are typically attractive to young people with approximately 65% percent of its drinkers are between the ages of 13 and 35 years old. A 2011 statewide Patient Poll conducted by the Pennsylvania Medical Society's Institute for Good Medicine found that 70% of respondents knew someone who had used an energy drink to stay awake longer to study or work.]
Energy drinks generally contain methylxanthines (including caffeine), B vitamins, and herbs. Other commonly used ingredients are carbonated water, guarana, yerba mate, açaí, and taurine, plus various forms of ginseng, maltodextrin, inositol, carnitine, creatine, glucuronolactone, and ginkgo biloba. Some contain high levels of sugar, and many brands offer artificially sweetened 'diet' versions. A common ingredient in most energy drinks is caffeine (often in the form of guarana or yerba mate). Caffeine is the stimulant that is found in coffee and tea. Energy drinks contain about three times the amount of caffeine as cola.
A variety of physiological and psychological effects have been attributed to energy drinks and their ingredients. Excessive caffeine consumption can lead to irritability, loss of sleep or nervousness. But there is also concern that its stimulating effects can cause rapid heat rate, an abnormal rhythm or other problems that could have serious health consequences.
Two studies reported significant improvements in mental and cognitive performances as well as increased subjective alertness. Excess consumption of energy drinks may induce mild to moderate euphoria primarily caused by stimulant properties of caffeine and may also induce agitation, anxiety, irritability and insomnia. During repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults an energy drink significantly increased upper body muscle endurance. It has been suggested that reversal of caffeine withdrawal is a major component of the effects of caffeine on mood and performance.
Restorative properties were shown by a combination of caffeine and the sugar glucose in an energy drink, and some degree of synergy between the cognition-modulating effects of glucose and caffeine was also suggested. In one experiment, a glucose-based energy drink was given to eleven tired participants being tested in a driving simulator. Lane drifting and reaction times were measured for two hours post-treatment and showed significant improvement.
Caution is warranted even for healthy adults who choose to consume energy drinks. Consumption of a single energy drink will not lead to excessive caffeine intake; however, consumption should be restricted to no more than two drinks in a single day. Other stimulants such as ginseng are often added to energy drinks and may enhance the effects of caffeine, and ingredients such as guarana themselves contain caffeine. Adverse effects associated with caffeine consumption in amounts greater than 400 mg include nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and dyspepsia. Consumption also has been known to cause pupil dilation when taken with certain antidepressants or SSRIs. Most mainstream energy drinks do not provide electrolytes, and have a higher likelihood of an energy "crash-and-burn" effect. Caffeine in energy drinks can excrete water from the body to dilute high concentrations of sugar entering the blood stream, leading to dehydration. If the body is dehydrated by 1%, performance is decreased by up to 10%.
Energy drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits. The drinks may cause seizures due to the "crash" following the energy high that occurs after consumption. Caffeine dosage is not required to be on the product label for food in the United States, unlike drugs, but some advocates are urging the FDA to change this practice.
The popular energy drink Red Bull was banned in France after the death of an 18-year-old Irish athlete, Ross Cooney, who died within hours after playing a basketball game and consuming four cans of it. Norway and the UK soon followed the trend by issuing warning against its use by children and pregnant women.
Through separate mechanisms, energy drinks act as stimulants, and alcohol as depressants. Energy drinks can lessen some of the subjective effects of alcohol while making the drinker feel more stimulated and less fatigued. However, they may be unable to counteract some of the psychomotor impairments of alcohol intoxication. Consequently, the mix can be particularly hazardous as energy drinks can mask the influence of alcohol and a person may misinterpret their actual level of intoxication. Researchers at the Human Performance Laboratory have suggested people refrain from mixing powerful stimulants with alcohol, they believe it might cause cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular failures.
If you drink energy drinks, be aware of the following to minimize the risks by:
- Carefully reading the labels of all health products you consume, including energy drinks, and follow label instructions. Authorized energy drinks will have an eight digit Natural Product Number (NPN) on the label.
-Consuming energy drinks in moderation. Energy drinks should not be taken on an empty stomach and should not replace food.
-Not mixing energy drinks with alcohol.Drinking water to help re-hydrate your system, if you engage in intense physical activity or exercise.
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