8 Reasons To Avoid All Energy Drinks

Whether to fight off a nap before an important event or to stay awake and alert during a class or lecture, we've all grabbed an energy drink at some point. Although these drinks can make you feel vivacious for a bit, they have some pretty horrible side effects. Exercise will give you healthy, natural energy.

It’s Not Real Energy

The energy in energy drinks is not real or healthy energy. The “energy” provided by these drinks is often just a hefty dose of caffeine. Too much caffeine can cause terrible side effects such as tremors, agitation, upset stomach, dizziness, seizures, insomnia, and even heart palpitations.

Sugar High

Many energy drinks use sugar to provide the boost you feel when drinking them. Too much sugar can lead to energy crashes, jitters, tooth decay, weight gain, and a host of other issues. When viewed in this light, the energy gained comes at a hefty price.

They Can Actually Drain Energy

Energy drinks are packed with artificial colors, flavors, and stimulants that tax the internal organs. It takes a lot of our natural energy to process these things through our kidneys and liver. Because these drinks also trigger a fight or flight response, the result can be more of an energy drain than an energy boost.

Phosphoric Acid

Everyone loves the taste of sweet drinks but it’s that special little tangy zip in sodas and energy drinks that punches the flavor into high gear. Phosphoric acid is the cause of that zip, and it’s also the cause of weak tooth enamel and dehydration. Phosphoric acid has also been linked to lowered bone density, another example of energy drinks being more of a drain than a boost.

The Price Tag

Energy drinks can cost anywhere from 1 to upwards of 5 dollars a pop. This is far more expensive per drink than just maintaining a healthy energy producing lifestyle. The money spent on energy drinks would do far more good if spent on whole foods and drinks.

B Vitamin Overdose

A key ingredient in most energy drinks are the B vitamins. Getting enough B vitamins is important for maintaining health, but too many can cause problems. These include flushing of the skin, liver toxicity, and skin lesions.

Beauty Sappers

Proper hydration and nutrition are important for healthy and glowing skin. Energy drinks offer high doses of caffeine, sweeteners, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. All of these things have a dehydrating effect on the body and can cause metabolic damage, in addition to being a strain on our natural filtration system.

Not So Natural

The claim of natural additives in a product tends to put people at ease. Unfortunately, when an energy drink company claims to have added a natural ingredient to a drink, what they really mean is that they have created a relative equivalent in a laboratory setting. Often these alleged natural substances are not FDA tested or approved and can have greater side effects than the chemicals they are meant to replace.