Energy Drinks

What’s all the buzz about?

Energy drinks have been getting a lot of attention lately – good and bad. Ravers party with them, hard-core athletes go the extra mile thanks to them, celebrities mix vodka with them, and gamers are constantly searching for the “next level” from them. Even though energy drinks are enjoying the spotlight at the moment, they’ve actually been around for the past 20 years. In fact, some form of energy drink has been in existence for almost 80 years. Now that’s what you call a buzz in the making!

Energy drinks are liquid bursts of energy and stamina. They also help reduce fatigue. While some consume them purely for the “buzz,” others see them as a great way to jumpstart a sports training regime – and even, believe it or not, a night of passion! Mixing energy drinks with alcohol has also become a status symbol of late – plus it’s rumored to intensify the buzz you get from just drinking alcohol alone.

Lately, you can’t turn on the news without hearing about the dangers of energy drinks – especially to kids, or when mixed with alcohol or consumed in large quantities. They’re aimed at absolutely everyone – from athletes, students, partiers, night-clubbers, ravers and shift workers to those who just want a quick pick-me-up when they don’t get adequate sleep. Students, in particular, drink them before and during sporting events, before exams, to stay awake for work, to heighten sexual activity and for an added buzz during a night of clubbing.

These drinks are getting a good and bad rap for one reason – the amount of energy they provide in just one bottle or can. The amount of kick, and the time that kick lasts for, comes down to the drink’s ingredients. There are many energy drink brands on the market, but the ingredients that are responsible for that caffeine addicting buzz are almost always a mixture of caffeine, guarana and taurine. These caffeine-like ingredients have been the subject of many tests and protests against energy drinks, as they can be harmful if consumed in high quantities or by those with existing heart conditions. Plus, energy drinks aren’t recommended for children, pregnant women because of their high caffeine levels. The trouble is that this small-print warning is often ignored by kids and energy drink manufacturers alike.

The ingredients in your favorite energy drink – especially the caffeine – are believed to cause certain negative side effects, health dangers and, in some cases, even overdose and death. Yet, while many manufacturers in the energy drink industry are placing recommended dosages and warning labels on their products, North America’s energy drink market shows no sign of slowing down – even though the drinks have been banned across the globe. What continues to make energy drinks the focus of controversy is that while some ingredients may pose a danger when abused, many other ingredients have been shown to be beneficial.

If you’re concerned about the ingredients in energy drinks, it’s a good idea to do an energy drink comparison to find one that is suitable for you. Read the drink’s nutritional label. If you don’t have any luck, you may want to create your own energy drink recipe using a powdered energy drink mix.

There are hundreds of different energy drinks out there – in every flavor imaginable. Just remember, if you consume more than the recommended daily dosage, you may end up with more than a buzz.