It’s around this time of year that I used to consume energy drinks as a much-needed pick-me-up to get me through the day. But while the promise of increased mental and physical performance is attractive, it hides the lesser-known health risks that could be causing harm.
Popular energy drinks contain ingredients like caffeine, sugar, and legal stimulants like L-carnitine, guarana, and taurine. While those legal stimulants do increase alertness, attention, and energy, they also raise blood pressure, heart and breathing rate and contribute to dehydration, insomnia and anxiety. Oh my!
What do energy drinks do in the body after we consume them?
10 minutes after drinking: It takes about 10 minutes for caffeine to enter your bloodstream after you consume an energy drink and your heart rate and blood pressure begin to increase.
15-45 minutes: That is when the caffeine level in your bloodstream peaks. As the stimulant begins to affect you, you will feel more alert, improving your concentration and overall alertness.
30-50 minutes: Caffeine is completely absorbed, and your liver responds by absorbing more sugar into the bloodstream.
1 hour: Your body begins to experience a sugar crash and the effects of the caffeine wearing off, and you begin to feel tired and low on energy.
5-6 hours: That is the caffeine half-life, which means it takes your body 5-6 hours to reduce the caffeine content in your bloodstream by 50%.
12 hours: The amount of time it takes for most people to remove caffeine from their bloodstream altogether. The rate at which this occurs is affected by various factors ranging from age to activity level.
12-24 hours: Caffeine is a drug, so those who consume it regularly may experience withdrawal symptoms 12-24 hours after the last dose; headaches, irritability, and constipation are some of the symptoms.
7-12 days: According to studies, seven to twelve days is the time frame for your body to become tolerant to regular caffeine consumption. Which means you'll get used to it and won't feel the effects as strongly.
Five tips to keep in mind
Many scientists agree that in moderate doses, caffeine can help improve individual cognitive performance, such as vigilance, attention, and alertness. Regardless of which energy drink you choose or whether you prefer naturally caffeinated drinks like coffee or green tea, here are five tips to remember about caffeine:
Tip #1: If you choose to use caffeine to increase performance, try it before the day of an event or occasion to assess your tolerance. Caffeine may help, but you might not need it.
Tip #2: More caffeine won't improve your performance, and higher doses may have adverse side effects.
Tip #3: Avoid caffeine for at least six hours before bedtime, so it doesn't interfere with your sleep.
Tip #4: Caffeine can boost mental performance temporarily, but it's not a substitute for quality sleep and nutrition.
Tip #5: Watch out for caffeine supplements combined with other stimulants. Very little information exists about the safety of combining caffeine with other ingredients.