“Energy” Drinks

If you’re like most Americans, your day usually begins with a cup or two of coffee. The caffeine in the coffee keeps us awake and alert. But that feeling usually wears off, leaving us scrambling for substitutes to keep us awake for the remainder of the workday.

Many people look to energy drinks to provide this boost in the afternoons. Energy drinks, which are high in sugar and caffeine, bring back that alertness and remove feelings of tiredness and fatigue. But what if that energy drink you consume regularly is doing more harm than good?

According to NY Daily News, an infographic posted on a British shopping website Personalize.co.uk, unraveled what happens after the consumption of an energy drink. According to the graphic:

  • 10 minutes: Heart and blood pressure spike
  • 15-45 minutes: Highest point of alertness
  • 30-50 minutes: All of the caffeine is fully absorbed, leading the liver to respond by absorbing more sugar into the bloodstream
  • 1 hour: Sugar crash, energy levels decrease

Within 12 hours, the caffeine exits the blood stream, leading to withdrawal symptoms up to 24 hours later. With these energy drinks having more sugar than one Snickers bar, we begin to crave it more frequently, leading to larger amounts of consumption while the short-term effect deteriorates daily.

Of course energy drinks are fine in moderation. It’s the overconsumption that spawns from its ingredients that could have a negative effect on our health. If you’re a person who enjoys those energy drinks on a daily basis, maybe try switching it out for coffee without the additive ingredients like whipped cream and whole milk. The less sugar, the better!

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