Do you ever feel like you have too much work, but not enough energy? This is a common feeling in adulthood. As adults, we spend our time working, taking classes, taking care of our family, exercising, and more. When people feel drained, it is common for them to resort to energy drinks such as Red Bull, 5 Hour Energy, Monster, and Rockstar. The products are marketed to boost mental and physical energy, however, studies have shown that energy drinks can bring health risk. Healthy Truths is here to inform you about the dangers of constantly drinking energy drinks.

The ingredients in energy drinks are not reviewed by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They contain a great amount of caffeine, between 75 milligrams to 200 milligrams per drink, exceeding the amount of caffeine in a soft drink (Brown University). The caffeine is combined with taurine and B vitamins. According to Mayo Clinic, taurine is “amino acid that supports neurological development and helps regulate the level of water and minerals in the blood.” B vitamins are used to help your body obtain energy from the food you intake (Mayo Clinic).

Before consuming energy drinks, it is important to understand the health risk. There are not many side effects for short term consumption, however, there are a few effects for long term consumption (Caffeine Informer). Energy drinks can cause high blood pressure, increase one’s heart rate, and also causes insomnia due to large amount of caffeine. They can also have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, which can lead to heart failure (Seconds Count).

There are many other ways to obtain energy for the day. One way is is getting enough sleep. Many times people feel like they are working slow and not being as productive when they are tired, therefore, getting enough sleep can help you efficiently complete your task. The average amount of sleep an adult should get is 7-8 hours a night. The benefits of getting enough sleep is that it can reduce stress and helps you maintain a healthy physical life (WebMd).

Another way to sustain energy is eating all three meals. In a previous post Should I Skip This Meal?, we discussed the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner. Healthy meals gives your body the necessary nutrients and proteins to be energized throughout the day. Meal prepping the week or night before can help you stick to your diet plan (Health Media Ventures).

Lastly, physical activity can increase your energy because it gets the blood flowing and strengthens your heart (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). For example, taking a walk around your neighborhood or exercising throughout the week can boost your energy, giving you the endurance for the week.