Energy drinks are consumed by high school students every day. Most people are not aware of the substances they are willingly putting into their bodies.
Some of the most frequently used ingredients in energy drinks are caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, guarana, ginkgo biloba, and sugar. The common ingredient being caffeine, which when combined with some of the other ingredients listed can be harmful when consumed in high quantities.
Caffeine is an addictive stimulant that increases brain activity, elevating blood pressure and heart rate. The more caffeine a person regularly consumes, the higher their tolerance becomes because their body compensates by producing more adenosine, a depressant neurotransmitter that is involved with relaxation and sleep. After prolonged consumption, people become addicted to caffeine and experience withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, and irritability.
When caffeine is used for athletic enhancement instead of staying awake or for the simple pleasure of drinking one, the effects can be beneficial. Energy drinks increase reaction time, focus, and alertness, which can increase athletic performance. Many athletes consume energy drinks before a game, meet, match, or practice to help keep them energized.
Sophomore Maeve Pelletier says, “When I stopped drinking energy drinks for a month I felt more tired and I craved them every day.”
Sophomore Isabella Lidestri says, “I stopped drinking energy drinks because the cost would add up but I craved them when I stopped drinking them.”
Senior Dennis Du likes Alani energy drinks because ”They are sweet and the flavors are good.” And he only drinks them “Some mornings when I’m tired.”
Sophomore Paisley Donovan says that she likes Red Bull because ”The flavor is the best and it gives me more energy compared to other energy drinks.”
Junior Colton Murch says that his favorite energy drink is Celsius because “They get me energized before sports and the burst of energy I get from them is nice.”
Junior Ava Waddington says that her favorite energy drink is Alani because ”They help me concentrate during school and give me more energy when playing a sport.”
Two ingredients in energy drinks that help to increase an athlete’s performance are taurine and B-vitamins. Taurine is an amino acid that helps muscle contraction and helps to improve exercise capacity. The increased muscle contraction can help athletes with movement. The B-vitamins help to convert sugars into energy that can be used during exercise. However too many B-vitamins can be toxic, with symptoms including nausea, nerve damage, hair loss, stomach issues, and rashes.
The increased performance and energy is why athletes today consume energy drinks, but the potential side effects of regular consumption is what makes energy drinks harmful.
