As we transition into the shorter winter months and more hours of darkness, many people feel the all too familiar sluggishness and sadness that comes with the season. So it’s no surprise that sales of energy drinks like Monster actually show an increase during this time. For many people, waking up is one of the hardest tasks of the day. And with less sunlight each day, it makes it even more difficult for many people to get motivated and moving. But before you grab that quick burst of energy, consider the long term effects.
Energy drinks are marketed as beverages that boost mental and physical performance. Caffeine is the most common stimulant in these drinks, but there can also be others. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the amount of caffeine in a can or bottle of one energy drink can range from 80 – 500 mg. And in comparison, a 5 ounce cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine.
Aside from the caffeine, there is also the issue of added sugar. Just like soda, energy drinks tend to be high in sugar. For example, a 250 ml can of Red Bull contains around 27.5 grams of added sugar. And with nearly everything containing added sugar these days, guzzling a couple of these energy drinks can only wreak more havoc on the body.
So let’s address the elephant in the room…Do energy drinks actually give you energy? That answer is a resounding “NO”. The only thing that creates energy in your body is the food you eat and the air you breathe. Energy drinks, and specifically the caffeine that is supposed to “boost” your energy, do nothing to actually create energy in your body. In fact, the only thing that caffeine does is to trick your body in to thinking you have more energy than you have. It does this by blocking adenosine receptors in your brain. Normally, when there is a lot of free adenosine floating around the brain, these receptors fill up, signaling the brain that we are tired and need sleep. By blocking these receptors, we are signaling our bodies that we can continue to work even though we do not have the energy to do so. This alone can cause health problems. We are simply asking our bodies to do more than they were designed to do.
There are other things that caffeine does in the body that can affect your health as well. A recent study shows that caffeine impairs blood glucose homeostasis and this can affect both your appetite and your mood. Ever wonder why you reach for that sugary snack when you are crashing from your caffeine fix? Ever wonder why you get irritable a few hours after your favorite pick me up? Add to this the fact that some energy drinks have up to 20 teaspoons of sugar in them and you get a perfect metabolic storm for everything from obesity to diabetes to heart disease. And how about sleep? “Oh, the caffeine wears off after a few hours”. Wrong! The half-life of caffeine (the amount of time it takes to achieve a 50% reduction in the amount of caffeine in the bloodstream) can last from two to ten hours, depending on how you metabolize it. But remember, this is only HALF the amount of caffeine in the blood. It can take your body over a day to get rid of all the caffeine. So, if you are having trouble sleeping, look no further than the bottom of your coffee cup as a starting point. Oh, and another interesting tidbit, if you’re using hormonal birth control, double the amount of time it takes for the caffeine to leave your body.
Here’s a breakdown of what happens within 24 hours of drinking a single energy drink:
1. Once consumed, it takes about 10 minutes for the caffeine to enter the bloodstream, causing your blood pressure and heart rate to increase.
2. Within 15-45 minutes of consumption, the caffeine level peaks in the bloodstream, causing a false sense of alertness.
3. Within 30-50 minutes of consumption, all the caffeine will be fully absorbed and your liver responds by absorbing more sugar into the bloodstream.
4. Within 1 hour of consumption, your body starts to experience a sugar crash and you may feel tired and sluggish.
5. Within 5-6 hours of consumption, the half life of the caffeine has been reached.
6. Within 12-24 hours of consumption, those who regularly drink caffeine will start to feel withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, irritability and constipation.
Poor sleep, poor diet, running our bodies ragged…hmm? That’s pretty much the recipe for most, if not all of our modern day diseases. If you are having any of these problems and your health is suffering because of it, we can help. By regulating the body and helping with detoxification, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help you function better without the use of stimulants. East Asian Medicine will also help to stop the roller coaster effects that come with dependence on energy drinks. So instead of grabbing a Red Bull or a Monster, give us a call and let us help you put the pep back in your step.