Energy drinks have become very popular among young kids, especially athletes. Many athletes are staying up late doing homework, then having to make it through a long day of school and practice, because of this many of them resort to energy drinks.
Energy drinks such as Ghost, Celsius, Reign, C4 and Monster all contain high amounts of sugar, ranging from 21 grams to 34 grams per ounce. They also contain a lot of caffeine. The popular energy drink Bang contains 300 milligrams of caffeine. This much caffeine amps up your nervous system and in turn, leads to muscle twitching, cramps and spasms.
“Energy drinks stimulate and put pressure on your muscles, which is not good for performing at high levels for long periods of time,” head football coach Tim Krause said.
Energy drinks give you short bursts of energy, but when needed in the long term they are unhelpful.
“Energy drinks pose the risk of cardiovascular problems,” according to The National Institutes of Health.
Energy drinks cause increased heart rate, blood pressure and trigger strokes ultimately leading to more serious health complications in the future. The condition that can cause a stroke after downing an energy drink is called reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). This sudden spasm of the blood vessels in your brain can either restrict blood supply or cause a hemorrhage. A hemorrhage is bleeding from a damaged blood vessel.
Energy drinks can affect your heart in several ways. They have the potential to change how your heart cells function, as well as cause your heart to beat faster or in an irregular manner. You can think of this as causing your heart to sprint without a warm-up. This side effect of energy drinks is dangerous because such changes can lead to serious heart conditions, especially for people with existing heart issues.
The combination of high caffeine and other stimulants in energy drinks can lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure. The next time you consider reaching for an energy drink in the morning or before a game, think about all the possible life-altering side effects and maybe go for something healthier.
