Posted Dec 2, 2010
Keri Zimmerman, a senior at Burlington High School, said energy drinks give her the boost she needs to get through her day.
“I’m not very big on sleep,” Zimmerman said. “I need all the energy I can get.”
Super-caffeinated energy drinks, with names like Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Amp have surged in popularity in the last decade, especially among teenagers.
However, the trend has been the source of growing concern among local trainers and dieticians.
“They can change your blood pressure and change your heart rate,” said Bryan Moritz, a dietitian in the nutrition services department of Great River Medical Center.
The drinks include a variety of ingredients in different combinations such as plant-based stimulants like guarana, herbs like ginkgo and ginseng, sugar, amino acids including taurine as well as vitamins.
But the main active ingredient in these drinks is caffeine.
“You never really know how much caffeine some of those energy drinks use.” Moritz said. “You have to be careful with some of the claims they put on their labels.”
The amount of caffeine a person consumes depends on the drink and how much is consumed. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic, a 16-ounce can of Full Throttle has 144 milligrams of caffeine and a 8.3-ounce can of Red Bull has 76 milligrams of caffeine. To put that into perspective, one shot of Starbucks espresso has between 58 and 75 milligrams of caffeine and a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola has 35 milligrams of caffeine.
Caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and respiration, among other side effects.
“The marketing makes it cool to drink the Monster and Red Bull drinks,” said Scott Leinbach, trainer at Burlington High School. “You can find it right next to the soda pop and Gatorade. Their marketing scheme has been targeting young kids.”
Teens like Zimmerman use energy drinks to get ready for sporting events and stay up late to study. Leinbach said if students take better care of themselves, the energy drinks are not needed.
“If you just get adequate rest, you eat the way you’re supposed to and get the amount of exercise you need to have, I think you will have plenty of energy to get through the day,” Leinbach said. “If these kids get some rest and quit staying up until all hours of the night texting, and playing video games and get some sleep, they would be OK.”
Kenan Bennett, a junior at BHS, said he isn’t a fan of energy drinks.
“I don’t think all the supplements they put in the drinks are good for you,” Bennett said. “I’ll just get a soda, and I’m good to go. I don’t really like the taste of energy drinks.”
The American Beverage Association, the trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry, issued a statement regarding energy drinks.
“There is nothing unique about the ingredients found in energy drinks,” the statement reads. “What we need to remember is the importance of consuming all foods and beverages in moderation. That, along with regular physical activity, is the key to living a balanced, healthy and active lifestyle.”
One concern about the drinks is that because they are served cold, they may be consumed in larger amounts and more quickly than hot drinks, such as coffee or tea, which take longer to drink.
Another concern is the increasing popularity of mixing energy drinks with alcohol.
“The caffeine dumbs down the effect of the alcohol, and you don’t even feel drunk,” Moritz said. “Drinks like Sparks are incredibly dangerous. The caffeine nulls the feeling of being drunk, and you just drink even more, and you can get really intoxicated.”
When working out, Moritz said some people will rush to get Gatorade when they might not have to.
“If you exercise for less than an hour, you don’t need anything other than water,” he said. “Once you go over an hour, you can use some kind of carbohydrate and electrolyte drink. You can use Gatorade, but I suggest adding an extra quarter teaspoon of salt to a 32-ounce bottle of Gatorade to get the sodium up.”
As an alternative to Gatorade and other energy drinks, Moritz said he makes his own energy drink.
“I use orange juice and water because orange juice is a natural source of potassium,” Moritz said. “I also add salt to get the sodium content up and when you water it down, its not so acidic so it doesn’t cause stomach irritation.”
Moritz uses one cup of orange juice and three cups of water. He also uses 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt and 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt substitute.
“If you use calcium-fortified orange juice, you get calcium as well so you get calcium, potassium and sodium,” Moritz said. “I race bikes, so I use it when I train, and it works really well. It also tastes really good.”
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