11 Facts You Might Not Know About Energy Drinks
Energy drinks. We’ve all consumed one at some point in our lives. While some of us love them, some question their health benefits.
Research was conducted with 66,531 people by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in order to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety of caffeine and possible interactions between caffeine and other common constituents.
They found that consumers expect two main things from consuming energy drinks, to gain energy and to stay awake.
Only sugar can ensure real energy. The caffeine-content of high quality energy drinks is 43-48 kcal. Sugar free drinks can never be named energy drinks since they contain no energy or calories. Caffeine-content of a high quality energy drink is around 32mg/100ml.
Here are 11 more facts you might not know:
1. A healthy adult can safely drink five cans of energy drink (5×250 ml) a day
Habitual caffeine consumption up to 400 mg per day – which is equal to the caffeine content of 5 cans of average energy drink (5×250 ml) – does not give rise to safety concerns for healthy adults.
2. A healthy person can safely drink two cans of energy drink (2×250 ml) simultaneously
European Food Safety Authority stated also that single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg do not give rise to safety concerns. The same amount does not give any changes to blood pressure, to the myocardium’s blood stream, body-temperature and water-balance. Additionally, it also does not sink the effort during the sport activities.
3. Energy drinks and alcohol can be consumed together by a healthy adult
According to EFSA, neither the other ingredients of energy drinks (e.g. taurine, D-glucurono-γ-lactone etc.) nor alcohol has a harmful interaction with caffeine. Moreover, alcohol poisoning is also not recognisable.
4. The exact same amount of caffeine
Each can of energy drink contains a standard amount of caffeine, thus consumers know the exact amount that they are taking per serving.
This is helpful, especially if tracking daily caffeine intake is important for you. When drinking coffee we do not have such exact data available to us because the amount of caffeine in the average cup of joe may vary according to the method of preparation.
5. Promote brain function and ability to concentrate
Several studies have confirmed that energy drinks do indeed promote brain functions such as memory, focus and reaction time as well as decreasing mental fatigue.
6. Improve reaction time
Studies prove that energy drinks containing vitamins and taurine have numerous beneficial behavioural effects. In one such study, where participants drank an energy drink containing caffeine (75mg) and sugar, it was found that the energy drinks significantly increased energy levels and improved reaction time.
Eleven volunteers took part in the driving simulation experiment while tired: their reaction time and ability to stay within the lane improved significantly and remained so even two hours after consuming the drink.
7. Fill you with energy and help fight fatigue
Our alertness increases when we consume energy drinks, we cease to be sleepy and become more productive. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system which results in a feeling of refreshment. Many studies using driving simulators have shown that energy drinks improve the quality of driving and decrease sleepiness even in drivers who are sleep deprived.
8. Available in a myriad of flavours
For those who do not like the taste of coffee or tea, energy drinks may be the perfect choice as they come in a myriad of unique flavours.
9. Offer a selection of zero-calorie products
Black coffee contains virtually no calories, but few people take their coffee black. They usually add sugar, milk or cream which can lead to calorically dense morning beverages. However, there are a wide variety of zero calorie options when it comes to energy drinks which, apart from caffeine, contain the good stuff that you want, eg. vitamins.
10. Yes, you CAN have caffeine in the afternoon
Some people, out of caution, forego caffeinated beverages in the afternoon in order to avoid unwanted side effects such as insomnia, sleep disturbances, etc. However, this caution is largely unfounded.
The body processes caffeine relatively quickly; the effects are felt soon after consumption but are also fairly short-lived. After approximately four to five hours, the liver, the organ mainly responsible for breaking down caffeine, has already processed half of the consumed serving, and after eight hours, 75% has been broken down.
11. Caffeine improves physical and mental performance
Thanks to their caffeine and taurine content, energy drinks increase physical and mental performance allowing us to feel generally more energetic, stronger and fresher.
Despite the facts, we have listed above many people still falsely consider energy drinks to be the enemy. This may be due to ignorance, based on erroneous information, or due to a few sensationalistic pieces of journalism reporting on people becoming “too hyper” because of the caffeine content in these products.
However, those who are better informed will know that a coffee contains the exact same amount of caffeine as an average 250ml can of energy drink (still, coffee almost never gets such a bad rap) and caffeine can be found in sodas, tea, and even chocolate!
Sensation-seeking articles often jump to conclusions without examining the facts and operate with scandalous, attention-grabbing, click-bait titles. In these cases, the person suffering from negative consequences may have consumed a lot more than a simple energy drink, abuse of prescription medication for example.
Despite this, energy drink manufacturers always place warnings on the packaging of their products to let them know, that as with all things, moderation is key (scientific experiments have shown that consuming six litres of water all at once can prove fatal).
So get yourself an energy drink, consume it in moderation and enjoy that little bit pump of energy to get you through the day!
Tag an energy drink lover!