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Energy Drinks: Facts You Should Know!

The term “energy drink” refers to a specific category of beverages that claim to stimulate and energize the user. Some examples include:

•Red Bull Energy Drink®

•SoBe Adrenaline Rush®

•Hype Energy Drink®

•Red Dragon Energy Drink®

•YJ Stinger®

Are They Safe To Drink?

Unlike most food and beverages, energy drinks are regulated as supplements (Natural Health Products). Not all energy drinks that are currently sold, however, have been evaluated by Health Canada. If the energy drink has a NPN (Natural Health Product Number) on the can, Health Canada has evaluated it. Check the label.

If you have a bad reaction to an energy drink you should let Health Canada know. Side effects like rapid heart rate and increases in blood pressure have been reported. Health Canada cautions that children, and pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid energy drinks. Health Canada also cautions that energy drinks should NOT be mixed with alcohol and that no more than 500 mL should be consumed in one day.

What is in Energy Drinks and Why?

Caffeine is a stimulant and can be appear on energy drink labels as guarana, yerba mate, or caffeine. Most drinks have 80 mg per 250 mL can (although some have more). This amount is double that of soft drinks and is greater than the Health Canada recommendations for children which are:

• no more than 45 mg/day for children 4-6 years,
• no more than 62.5 mg/day for 7-9 years and
• no more than 85 mg/day for children 10-12 years.

Caffeine can cause nervousness, anxiety, jitteriness, stomach/intestinal upset, rapid heart rate and trouble sleeping in some individuals and withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, irritability and poor concentration among those who consume it regularly.

Herbs Many energy drinks contain the herbs Gingko biloba and ginseng. They do not improve sports performance and can interact with some medications, so be sure to talk to your doctor.

Taurine is an amino acid- like compound and is found in the diet in meat and dairy products. It is not an essential nutrient and is not part of body proteins like most amino acids. Some energy drinks claim that taurine makes you more alert but research is not conclusive. Most energy drinks have 1 gram of taurine per 250 mL can. The safety of large doses has not been proven.

Should I Use Energy Drinks During Exercise?

Proper hydration is the main concern during exercise, especially in the heat. The best choices are water or sports drinks. The high sugar content and carbonation of energy drinks can interfere with hydration which makes them a poor choice for use during exercise.