The Health Risks of Energy Shot Drinks
Energy drink shots such as Five Hour Energy are popular among college students; but what about the health risks? Should you be concerned?
They’re one of the fastest growing beverages in the drink market. Energy drink shots are a way to get a blast of caffeine in a quick, concentrated form. College kids are using them to get extra energy to stay up late cramming for exams. More disturbingly, some students are chugging them down with alcohol to offset the sleepiness that comes with drinking. There’s so much concern about the safety of energy shot drinks that some German health authorities are calling for them to be banned.
What’s in Energy Shot Drinks?
Energy drink shots such as Five Hour Energy contain concentrated amounts of caffeine, taurine, amino acids, and B vitamins to increase energy levels and prevent fatigue. Some also contain green tea extract and guarana. Unlike energy drinks that come in sixteen ounce cans, the ingredients in energy shot drinks are mixed with only two ounces of liquid – providing lots of energy bang for the buck – along with lots of potential side effects.
How Much Caffeine?
These two ounce drinks contain up to 200 milligrams of caffeine and 1,000 milligrams of taurine. Taurine is added to some energy shot drinks to offset the effects of drinking alcohol on the liver – so users can more easily combine them with alcohol. The amount of B vitamins in some of these drinks is so high that the niacin they contain causes a flushing reaction in some people.
Obviously, this isn’t the healthiest beverage choice – particularly if you combine it with alcohol. Although the levels of caffeine in energy drink shots is no more than that found in a cup of coffee, a person can easily consume too much when it’s in a concentrated form – especially if they lose track of how much they’re drinking by combining them with alcohol.
What are the Risks of Energy Shot Drinks?
The side effects such as nervousness, mood changes, and insomnia increase with each drink shot as does the risk of more serious problems such as an irregular heart rhythm and elevations in blood pressure. Gaurana is another energy drink stimulant that contains caffeine – up to three times the amount found in coffee. At high doses it can cause irregular heart rhythms, nausea, abdominal spasms, and blood pressure elevations.
Energy Drink Shots: Look for Other Alternatives
Energy drink shots aren’t a smart drink choice for anyone – particularly if they’re combined with alcohol. People who are pregnant, have high blood pressure, or heart disease may be especially susceptible to their effects. The high levels of B vitamins in some of these drinks could also be a problem. Too much B6 over long periods of time can cause nerve damage. Guarana can also interact with some medications. Do your teens a favor and tell them to sip green tea instead.
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fishfry aka Elizabeth Figueroa | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I never did find those beverages appealing. I try to tell kids that too much is no good, and I do believe it does add to an addiction.
Great article you addressed a topic that needs attention.
A Lady Poet | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
Has never tried either a energy drink or a 5 hour shot though I recently bought one.After reading this,I may not try it at all,doesnt sound so appealing.Great article.
Netty net | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I don\’t drink them, Well I do drink Vitamin water I don\’t know if a sort of energy or not.
Jenny Heart | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I learned something new today.
Uma Shankari | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
Very useful. Glad to know the true nature of these commercial health drinks.
beggar | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
the worst part of them is their sugar
Wiggles18 | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I agree. Why can’t people just get their energy from what they are meant to, like their food.
Judy Kaelin | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I wondered what was in those drinks. Good information!
rhymetime | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I never tried one…do they taste good ?
fatpeter | Feb 8, 2010 | Reply
I had my first monster yesterday. And I got the big 24 oz can. It was WEIRDDDD..
Juliet Christie Murray | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I realized that these are not too good .I had one of the teas and my blood pressure went up for days my medication could not control it.
Glad you wrote this article
lordzden | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I like cramming during exams… need some energy booster to keep me up… but I have learned that they’re not so good to health, so I’ll better change my habit. thanks for the info..nice one
seema1962 | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I think these are not good drinks. I never tried that. thnx. Plz visit to my articles also and post comment.
includemine | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
i just drink one!
afaqshoupa | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
energy drinks are just for a while … it cant give u energy for more then a Minute …
Trakiya | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
Good article.Thanks for sharing.
Tmrobotix | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I don’t get the fuzz.
Combining them with alcohol is great for parties.
And seriously, you don’t overdo them generally, I did it once (roughly 2grams caffeine in less then 2 hours) and I can tell you, you will regret that and you will never do it again.
200mg in one thing is quite lot though but similar to your average caffeine tablets.
Lady Fantasy | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
I bought one the other day but hasnt tried it yet.But an interesting article and may not since I dont really think its needed.
Leonardo da Vinci E. | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
Trying to get a lot of work done on a night shift has made me an easy target for trying an energy drink….I’ve tried them all, but for my metabolism they simply don’t seem to work well enough to merit my continued attention. *Sigh, back to coffee!
apagung | Feb 9, 2010 | Reply
Yup I know about that drink will be stimulate your brain work hard but it is not natural, some day will make some damages in the neuron
johnnyrivera | Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
I love Monster
Noodleman | Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
I’m 13 and me and my friend drunk on each once. I was used to things like normal cans of redbull and other high caffeine drinks (not energy shots though). I was alright when I drunk mine (just felt wide awake
) Though my friend wasn’t used to caffeine at all and it made him all dizzy and jittery for a while lol…
The reason I don’t like them is because it doesn’t bring the joy of actually drinking the drink. I’d prefer to have a full sized redbull and drink it slowly, to get the refreshing feeling
moneynwealth | Feb 10, 2010 | Reply
great share of information. I use take energy drink when I was in university but I didn’t know that there was a danger.
great health and energy
http://healthfitnesswebsite.info/
g | Feb 11, 2011 | Reply
I had an energy shot this morning just to try it and almost instantly i was in agony with stomach pain/cramping, i thought i was gonna have to go hospital! luckily it stopped after 3/4 mins, wont be having one again, but i have felt so awake all day!