Energy Drinks Health Concerns

Energy drinks have been hugely popular since they first started to hit the market. While many energy drinks claim to use natural ingredients to energize the body it doesn't automatically mean they are safe. There are side effects of many of the common ingredients that you should be aware of.

Energy drinks can give you a short boost on days when you're dragging, but overconsumption can lead to serious health concerns later. Some people are sensitive to many of the ingredients commonly found in energy drinks, compounding the potential health concerns.

Dangers of Natural Herbs

Herbs and natural substances don't always equal increased health. Many herbal supplements should be avoided because they can have negative consequences for your overall health. Some of the more common herbs used in energy drinks are ginkgo biloba, ginseng and taurine. While taurine appears to be safe, the others can cause serious issues. Too much ginseng or ginkgo can cause sleeplessness, nausea, diarrhea, muscle pain and decreased blood pressure.

Too Much Sugar

Many energy drinks give your body a short term boost with lots of sugar. Sugar is unavoidable, but too much of it can cause problems. Obesity and type 2 diabetes have been linked to overconsumption of sugar. The high amounts of sugar in most energy drinks will also lead to a heavy crash a few hours after the drink is consumed thanks to a temporary spike in insulin levels. When the levels start to taper back off you can be left feeling even more lethargic than you were to begin with.

Too Much Caffeine

Most energy drinks have caffeine as well. While many drinks only have the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, a lot of them have much more. If you drink coffee and soda with the energy drinks you can easily end up getting far too much caffeine. This can cause irritability, nervousness, allergic reactions, chest pain, headaches and nausea.