Lets talk about Energy Drinks. Are they good for you, or bad for you?

[Quixote1818]

I would like peoples thoughts on the ingredients in Energy Drinks. Ginkgo, taurine, guarana, inositol, antioxidants, carnitine etc.

About six months ago I drank a can of Monster Energy Drink and I was totally buzzed!!! It was great and now whenever I need a lift or need to get rid of a headache I drink Monster or Red Bull or whatever. I like Red Bull but I drink Monster because you get twice as much for the same price and I need a big can to get the right effect. One can of Red Bull does nothing for me. I like the taste of Red Bull better but I drink it for the lift and the vitamins. Are any of the ingredients bad for you? Are they good for you?

[meow2u3]

1. Those energy drinks are LOADED with caffeine

They have at least twice the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.
As for the taurine, humans make it naturally. It's only an essential amino acid if you're a cat!

[mcscajun]

2. Contents: Caffeine in very high doses with a big load of sugar.

Some of the ingredients are unproven as to their effect, and the vitamin dosages exceed the recommended maximums but are below toxic levels. So if you don't exceed the product's own recommended consumption level, you might not experience any bad effects. Then again, who knows? You Might.

So, you drink a big cold can of this stuff and you get a burst of 'energy' and then you get a crash later. Is this good for you? Probably not. What's definitely not good for you is the practice some folks have of mixing these 'energy' drinks with alcohol. Your heart doesn't know which way to go after drinking that mix; up, down or sideways.

Of note: some of the 'energy' drinks contain Niacin, which will give you an initial 'skin flush' as it opens up your capillaries. Too much straight Niacin will cause the levels of Potassium in your system to drop. Fun.

[Quixote1818]

3. They open up capillaries?

Is that why they get rid of my headaches? I don't drink the ones with surgar. I drink the low carb brands.

[mcscajun]

4. Details...

from Wikipedia:

Because niacin in large quantities is a vasodilator, large doses of niacin (either from vitamin B3 tablets or from treated meats) may cause harmless and short-lived but unpleasant symptoms such as extreme skin flushing resembling a sunburn, itching, gastric disturbances, and lowering of blood pressure. The amide form (strictly speaking a provitamin) does not cause these side effects, but is also not as easily assimilated by the body.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacin

Disclaimer: No Medical Advice is intended here. Merely an information post.

[biscodawg]

5. i've heard the acid content in them

is waaaaaaaay worse for teeth than sodas. but who knows?

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. I'm not keen on...

...Red Bull. But after working (security industry. Losts of walking) an almost 12 hour shift for the last two nights, I haver been crampng bad, so today I got some Gatorade and I must say, that has really helped. My cramps have pretty much gone.

So I don't know if they are good or bad, but damn they realy do work, when one needs a lift.

[MrScorpio]

7. Red Bull saved my ass in class numerous times

Caffeine, baby!

[Champ]

8. Ah energy drinks, shit I load off every morning

This morning I made the mistake of drinking "Rockstar" which is twice the size and strength of Red Bull off of plenty of sleep the following night. I had so MUCH energy within two hours of drinking it I was moving so fast(data entry) that I was tossing the next envelopes in the air and trying to catch it. When I turned the corner to get another tray of mail I seen a guy carrying a try and not that I wanted to, I had the urge to hockey check him against the wall as hard as I could then scream as loud as I could. I felt like running around the building 6 times, I was totally buzzing and didn't calm down till like 7:30PM now I feel extremely worn out and tired.

[Champ]

9. By the way, Red Bull is only $1 a can at my workplace

usto be $2 and I load up on like 2-3 of those a day. Energy drinks are my thing and I drink them all the time. I wake up at 5:15 5-6 days a week to catch 2 busses and arrive at work at 7:30. Without them I'd.... I don't know where I'd be.