HYDERABAD: Have you wondered why the longtime trendy energy and sports drinks restricted to supermarkets are on almost all storefronts, office canteens, colleges and gyms today? Cans labelled as mind and body vitalizing drinks come loaded with synthetic caffeine, sugar, guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine are addictive and habit-forming.
These drinks might provide instant energy, but are far from healthy. Experts say that addiction to these drinks can lead to heart problems.
The label says it all. Energy drink is not recommended for people with heart problems, children and pregnant women. Not more than two cans must be consumed in a day.
“Most young adults and millennials consume more than three cans a day, once they get accustomed to the taste profile and fall in love with it. As these drinks actually give a ‘kick’ due to the synthetic chemical constituents. Energy drinks raise heart rate and clear brain fog after consumption, but elevated heart rate for a period of time can cause heart problems,” says Dr C Raghu, the Head of Cardiology at Aster Prime Hospitals.
“Synthetic stimulants also raise blood pressure and cause sleeplessness,” adds, Dr Raghu.
Any form of synthetic substances can cause nutritional imbalances. Dr M Gayathri, dietician, at Apollo hospitals says, "Constituents of energy drinks such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine reduce hunger and increase overall body and brain activity for a while. It can also lead to sleeplessness, followed by exhaustion. It is wise to avoid energy drinks and replace them if needed in states of, dehydration and exhaustion with ORS or Glucose drinks."
Besides, she added, “While soft drinks are loaded with sugar, energy drinks that come with sugar alternatives are even worse.”
If you are tired and craving to have another energy drink, it would only lead you to go for yet another, because the brain eventually gets used to these stimulants.
“Brain can easily get addicted to substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Synthetic caffeine is much worse than natural caffeine, for each can of an energy drink constitutes around 75 mg of caffeine. One must consume 20 cups of coffee to get around 75 mg of natural caffeine,” says Dr Venkat Subbaiah, a clinical psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda.
Energy drink is not recommended for people with heart problems, children and pregnant women