Energy Drinks
by
Stephanie Givens
Many Americans enjoy the rush they get from drinking energy drinks, but how much do you know about what you are putting into your body. Taurine is a type of amino acid that gets its name from the Latin term Taurus, which means "Bull" because it was located in and extracted from the bile and semen of a red bull. It is also found in the human body as well as Red Bull, Monster, Amp, Rockstar, and Lost. Some of the side effects include weird behavior, the shakes, anxiety, rage, and sensitivity to noise.However these are not the only side effects from drinking energy drinks, many other side effects harm your brain, skin, and body. One thing that is afected by energy drinks is your weight, over 40% of people are dealing with obestiy because of the high sugar levels in the enegy drinks and your body not being able to digest all that you are putting into your body.
Energy drinks are just like an lecrical shock into
your body; the sudden burst of energy can affect your
neurotrnsmitters in your brain, which control your
mood and actions. They can also cause you to have
high blood pressure due to many reported cases where
people had seizures caused by consuming energy
drinks. One young man who was 18 died after playing
a bascketball game from drinking two cans of Red Bull.
American Beverage Association stated,
"Most mainstream energy drink brands voluntarily
put statements on their containers, including advisories about use by people sensitive to caffeine.” Also because of some of the ingredients that are in these drinks can cause them to be addictive. Some alternatives that are more healthy drinks are coconut water because they have the same hydrating effects of the carbohydrates found in sports drinks, also green tea,It contains a smaller amount of caffeine than coffee does, and Curley says that the many health benefits of green tea make it a great energy drink option.
There’s also evidence that green tea helps improve mental clarity and performance, making it a great alternative to an afternoon cup of coffee, and also chocolate milk, Chocolate milk provides a balance of carbohydrates and protein, as well as calcium, vitamins A and D, and iron. A 2011 study, led by Dr. John Ivy, chair of the University of Texas at AustinCollege of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Education called chocolate milk an “ideal post-workout recovery drink.” Athletes who drank low-fat chocolate milk after a workout had “better body composition in the form of more muscle and less fat, improved times while working out and overall better physical shape than peers who consumed sports beverages that just contained carbohydrates.”