Consumption of ENERGY DRINKS has been increasing dramatically in the last two decades, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Energy drinks are aggressively marketed with the claim that these products give an energy boost to improve physical and cognitive performance. However, studies supporting these claims are limited.
Energy drinks belong to a class of products, in liquid form, that typically contain caffeine, with or without dietary supplements. In the USA, the first Energy drink marketed was ‘Dr Enuf’, and it was launched in 1949. In Europe, a similar kind of drink was launched in 1987. The most popular Energy drink in our country is known as ‘Red Bull’.
Manufacturers recently shifted their focus from athletes to young people. Approx 2/3rd of Energy drinks consumers are 13-35 years old. Energy drinks are designed to give an ‘energy booster’ to the drinker by a combination of stimulants and energy boosters. The major constituent in moat Energy drinks is caffeine. They usually contain 80-150 mg of caffeine per 200 ml. Most of the brands marketed contain large dose of glucose or sugar while some brands offer artificially sweetened versions.
Currently, significant concerns have been raised about the safety of these products. In fact, the adverse health effects associated with Energy drinks remain controversial dietary among experts and scientists. As per the available data, there are following benefits and Adverse Health Effects related to Energy drinks consumption.
Cardiovascular Effect– Several studies have shown an increase in heart rate and arterial blood pressure after Energy drink consumption. These findings were attributed to the ergogenic effects of the caffeine content of the Energy drink.
Neurological and Psychological Effect– Individual usually develop symptoms of caffeine intoxication in doses equal to or above 200 mg. Symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, muscle twitching, restlessness, and periods of inexhaustibility. Caffeine induced psychiatric disorders have been recognized by many medical experts. Several reports have also suggested that Energy drink may contribute ti ischemic stroke and lead to epileptic seizures.
Gastrointestinal and Metabolic Effects– Energy drinks usually contain large amounts of sugar ranging from 21g to 34 g per 250ml. The sugar content is mainly in the form of sucrose, glucose of high fructose corn syrup. Therefore, high Energy drink intake may increase the risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. In addition the high sugar content in Energy drinks may reduce activity, diversity and gene expression of intestinal bacteria resulting in increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Acute caffeine intake decreases insulin sensitivity.
Renal Effects– The caffeine in Energy drinks has been shown to enhance activity performance. Therefore Energy drinks should be avoided during prolonged exercise in hot environment because of dehydration. Caffeine also promotes sodium losses in urine, which effects the plasma volume and results in significant alteration of cardiovascular performance while exercising. In addition, sodium imbalance during prolonged exercise in hot environment may reduce isometric force in the legs. A study was carried out where a 40 years old man after daily intake of Energy drinks for about 3 weeks. The serum creatinine was increased fivefold from the baseline and returned to normal two days after Energy drink consumption was discontinued.
Dental Effects- In a recent study, Energy drinks consumption was associated with about 2.5 fold increase in dental erosion. This has been attributed to a low pH and high sugar content of Energy drinks.
Beneficial Effects
The large amount of caffeine in Energy drinks provides the consumer with desirable effects of improved memory. Energy drinks significantly enhanced aerobic endurance (maintaining 65-70% max heart rate) and aerobic performance (maintaining max speed) on cycle ergometers.
A number of studies have examined the behavioral effects of Energy drinks containing caffeine, glucose, vitamins amongst its components. These studies found that improvements I aerobic and anaerobic cycling performance, attention performance and/or reaction time tasks, afternoon driving performance and different indices of alertness.
In the end, Energy drinks may show beneficial effects on exercise performance in various sport activities. However, while Energy drinks might benefit performance, possible detrimental health problems have been documented, particularly amongst children and adolescents. Various parts of body are negatively affected by Energy drink consumption. Considering the fact and the increasing popularity of these drinks, caution should be exercised while consuming Energy drinks. Overambitious marketing and non-scientific claims need to be regulated by the government agencies, unless found safe then only they should be allowed to market the product.
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Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
5th June 2025