Energy drinks: A cause for concern
After strenuous physical activity or in the night before the exam or in stressful situations, many people choose an energy drink to power their body up. Some prefer energy drinks to water/soft drinks in order to quench their thirst. But scientists have seen dangers in people who overindulge in energy drinks; especially people with heart diseases are at greater risk. Three researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Centre and the University of Queensland in Australia examined the contents of these beverages, which are sold alongside soft drinks. Their review of all the studies published recently in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings revealed that high level of caffeine, one of the major ingredients in energy drinks puts certain susceptible people at risk of dangerous, even life-threatening consequences and adversely affects on blood pressure, heart rate and brain function. The authors of the study have reported four documented cases of caffeine-associated death! A number of scientists are worried about high level of caffeine consumption that can lead to several adverse consequences, particularly in children and adolescents who are more susceptible to caffeine intoxication, physical dependence on it. Excess caffeine cause disruption of sleep pattern leading to fatigue and this creates a vicious cycle to use more caffeine consequently to counteract the fatigue. Caffeine intoxication generally causes nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset and tremor. Some of these products sold in Bangladesh do not list the ingredients with their amounts including caffeine. Therefore, it is hard to determine exactly how much caffeine you are consuming. Moreover, many ingredients present in these drinks are not scientifically researched. Other than caffeine, ingredients of energy drinks include high level of sugar, taurine, glucuronolactone, vitamins B, E, inositol, guarana etc. Energy drinks might not be a good option for people engaged in vigorous physical activity or wish to rehydrate their body, as high doses of sugar in drinks can impair absorption of fluids and result in dehydration instead. Vitamins are provided for utilisation of energy produced by high level of sugar and meet the deficiency. But scientists opined that this might be a kind of overload for the body, with too much stuff coming in at the same time. It is difficult to say exactly how and to what extent energy drinks will affect your body. In most cases, the effects are not apparent readily. But, excessive regular consumption for long period may leave their marks in the long run impairing the functions of liver, heart, pancreas and so on.
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