What are the pros and cons of energy drinks?

Question

This fad for energy drinks had come about. I never really drank energy drinks, because i heard it was bad for your heart.I want to try some but I dont want to be like those addicted people who cant function without one.so what are the pros and cons?

Answer 1

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ENERGY DRINKS
Do energy drinks live up to their hype? Can they really increase your energy levels, boost your concentration and alertness, stimulate your metabolism, improve your stamina and help you leap over tall buildings or meet your latest work deadline? These combinations of caffeine, herbs, vitamins and amino acids certainly sound scientific -- but do they work? And if they really are effective, are they safe?

The answer depends on your individual metabolism and preferences. Some people swear by energy drinks. They say the concoctions can't be beat for getting them through their workday or giving them a boost before exercise. Others find the combination of caffeine and sugar leaves them feeling jittery, nervous and irritable. But sales of energy drinks have doubled in the past year, so someone's slurping them up.

Pros: If you're a caffeine junkie, energy drinks may be right up your alley. Instead of coffee or soda, enjoy Blue Ox or Power House for an afternoon pick-me-up. A running buddy of mine chugs a can of Red Bull before every long run for added zip. The amount of caffeine in most of these products is similar to that in one cup of brewed coffee, so gauge your tolerance accordingly.

Cons: Definitely do not mix energy drinks with alcohol. The combination can leave you feeling worse than when you started. If you try to add activity into the mix (running, biking or even dancing the night away) you could be in for major trouble -- some small studies show changes in heart rhythm resulting from this combination. Pregnant women and young children should avoid energy drinks as well. No one knows what potential pregnancy complications could result if you indulge in these drinks while you're expecting. Because of their smaller body size, children experience greater negative effects from energy drinks. Finally, consider the calories: There are usually 100 to 130 in each 8-ounce serving.

SPORTS DRINKS
In 1965, doctors at the University of Florida developed the first sports drink with their football team in mind. Their goal? To encourage athletes who practice in the brutal Florida heat and humidity to consume adequate amounts of fluid and electrolytes for optimum athletic performance. The result was Gatorade -- basically water with added carbohydrates, sodium and potassium. Today there are a variety of similar sports drinks in a mind-boggling array of flavors and neon colors designed to tempt your taste buds. The question remains: Do they really improve athletic performance?

Pros: Studies clearly show that athletes -- even weekend warriors and kids running around their backyards -- benefit from chugging sports drinks instead of water. Why? We tend to drink 25 percent to a whopping 90 percent more of flavored sports drinks than plain old water, thus preventing dehydration. An additional bonus: The carbohydrates in sports drinks help fuel active muscles, preventing fatigue and encouraging increased effort.

Cons: Sports drinks are not helpful when you're watching sports on TV, sitting around the pool or enjoying a fast-food burger and fries. Ounce for ounce, sports drinks have about half the calories and sugar of fruit juice or regular soft drinks -- but the calories add up more quickly than you'd think. The message is clear: If you're not exercising, drink water instead. You don't need the electrolytes, and you haven't earned the calories.

FITNESS WATERS
One of the newest beverage categories on the market, fitness waters boast added vitamins and minerals, and often other "functional" ingredients, and have less carbohydrates than traditional sports drinks. A combination of high-fructose corn syrup (the beverage industry's sweetener of choice), crystalline fructose and sugar substitutes such as Splenda keep the carbs and calories low. Reebok Fitness Water has only 30 calories in each 24-ounce serving, and Glacéau Vitaminwater contains a mere 2.5 calories per 8 ounces.

Pros: If you can't stand the taste of plain water, fitness waters are a good choice. You won't get a lot of unwanted calories, and the sugar content is minimal. We tend to drink more if a beverage is flavored, so fitness waters may be helpful for those folks who just don't seem to stay hydrated enough.

Cons: Some brands contain high amounts of vitamins or minerals, which means if you drink a lot of these waters, you could go over your daily nutrient needs -- especially if you take a multivitamin. You can easily get all the nutrients in these beverages from food -- and drink regular water to satisfy your thirst. Also, the carbohydrate content of fitness waters is too low to make them beneficial during activity, so stick with your favorite sports drink (like Gatorade or Accelerade) if energy is a concern when you're breaking a sweat.

Hopefully this information answers you question!
-- Vae

Answer 2

Be very careful of drinking too much of these Dragdog45! Why? Many energy drinks contain salt and other minerals that could actually dehydrate your body of necessary water when you perform large endurance exercises like marathons and events like "The Sun Run" in Vancouver BC Canada that takes place once a year. There are some benefits to energy drinks because they help prevent bloating, which can hinder faster performance; but, like I mention above, be vary careful that you do not drink too much because you could end up fainting without enough water from a natural biological process called Osmosis . Perhaps, if you are into a lot of athletic events, you may want to see a doctor in nutrition and determine your particular physiology so you know how much you can handle and how much you should take for optimal performance.

Answer 3

Pros

- Gives you some energy.

- Good on hot / humid days where hot coffee or tea is not so appealing.

Cons

- Very expensive - most energy drinks have less caffeine (the active ingredient in 99% of energy drinks) than a cup of coffee, but cost 2 to 3 times as much.

- Excessive caffeine and sugar is not good for you.

- Caffeine can be addictive

- The "benefits" of most of the other ingredients are unproven.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What are the pros and cons of energy drinks?
This fad for energy drinks had come about. I never really drank energy drinks, because i heard it was bad for your heart.I want to try some but I dont want to be like those addicted people who cant function without one.so what are the pros and cons?

Answer 5

Well, first off, the term "energy" is sort of misleading. They don't really provide energy. They provide chemicals that inhibit your body from telling you that it is tired.

Energy comes from calories. Period. But, not all calories are useable as energy by the body. For instance, a shot of Vodka has about 64 calories in it, but the body can't use ANY of that for energy. Redbull has about 13 calories per fl. oz. The bulk of these come from sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup, which the body is very good at absorbing. Higher blood sugar equates to more energy, in the very short term.

Redbull has other chemicals in it, caffeine being chief amongst them. Caffeine is a mile cardiac stimulant. It causes increased neuron firing in the brain, increased blood flow and increased blood sugar. Caffeine has mildly addictive qualities to it as well, so it can be very hard for people to go without.

The bottom line is that nobody needs to drink energy drinks. They are addictive, unhealthy, strange tasting and expensive. They can be very effective in keeping you awake long enough to party or get some studying done, but they aren't a good idea for breakfast every day, as some people use them.

You'd be much better off drinking a smoothie or even a protein drink instead.

Answer 6

well for some energy drinks like gatorade and powerade, the only bad thing about them is that they can actually dehydrate you if you drink it at the wrong time even tho they are meant to refresh you. energy drinks like monster and stuff are only said to be slightly harmful because some of them like to get carried away and use alcohol. but those have warnings on them. you can get a slight buzz if you drink too many at a time tho which can slow your heart down temporarily. but other than that they only serve the purpose of keeping you awake through the day. there shouldnt be any problem with you drinking one here and there as long as you dont get carried away.

Answer 7

the Pros are that It gives you 'energy' and you can stay awake longer. But the cons are that the 'energy' given by theese drinks is, sugar and fat sorta like a sugar rush or cafine.

Answer 8

Energy drinks have some pros like they make you wired and alert, but after about an hour the alertness wears off and fatigue sets in so you feel exhausted; they can also cause dependancey on caffine

Answer 9

Cons-
Over-priced
Taste like ***
Do nothing for your energy level
Pros-
You'll be cool with 12-14yr old 'tards

Answer 10

pros-would be that they give you energy to make it through the day
cons- if you drink too many then your body may not be able to function without all that sugar-thats basically what energy drinks are-sugar.Plus if you become addicted to them it isn't good for your heart-what addiction is?