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Young Australians are putting their health at risk by mixing caffeinated energy drinks and alcohol, an Australian-first study has found. (Daily Telegraph, 2012).
Everywhere you go you see energy drinks. There are so many available, with varying ingredients, claiming they give you 'wings' or a 'boost of energy'. It was difficult to find any evidence which claimed these drinks are actually good for us. All articles I found were negative and showed evidence of deaths or increases in psychiatric problems associated with their use. As a past consumer of these drinks I know first hand the effects these drinks can have on the heart and nervous system.
If I was feeling tired after a busy week at work, I would have a 'V' drink or a 'Red Bull' with little side effects. However over time my body must have built up immunity to them because I found myself needing two, then three. It was when I reached three in a single sitting, that I started having panic attacks or as the experts like to call it 'anxiety'.
So what's in these drinks that make them have this effect? They generally contain large amounts of caffeine and stimulants but many also contain sugar or other sweeteners, herbal extracts like ginseng or gingko biloba.
Well that doesn't sound that bad. I mean after all they contain 'herbal extracts'; and caffeine can also be found in tea, coffee and cola. However what some people don't realise is the caffeine amounts are sometimes triple that which is found in Coca Cola.
As for the herbal extracts – ginseng is a stimulant, which when mixed with caffeine, enhances the effects so your heart beats faster and you can suffer from irritability and anxiety. Ginkgo has been used for improving blood flow, for improving memory/concentration due to certain brain problems (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and dementia). This may sound attractive to people who drink these drinks because they are seeking mental stimulation to get them through a busy day or a night on the town. However when people drink these drinks excessively, they’re at high risk of symptoms of over-stimulation including difficulty sleeping, severe hangovers, aggression, heart palpitations, blackouts, vomiting and tremors.
These drinks are popular with younger people, who specifically use them as a party drink so they can party longer. Some even drink them alongside alcohol. This is where it gets scary! Alcohol is a depressant and slows down heart rates, while caffeine is a stimulant that speeds it up. So combining the two can fuel a person's ability to drink more and longer, without realising the level of subsequent intoxication. Mixing both together confuses the nervous system which can trigger cardiac problems.
Suffice to say I no longer drink energy drinks and feel so much better for it. Give me a strong coffee any day...but only one!
Bibliography:
Rothfield, A (October, 3rd, 2012) FoxNews.com. http://www.foxnews.com/fncu/current-interns/blog/2012/10/03/energy-drinks-pose-potential-health-risks-students
(No name, no date) MedicineNet.com. http://www.medicinenet.com/ginkgo_ginkgo_biloba-oral/article.htm
Smethurst, A (October 7th, 2012) The Daily Telegraph http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/dont-mix-caffeine-and-booze-energy-drinks-heart-alarm/story-e6freuy9-1226489803936
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