Energy Drinks: Harmful to Health?

Energy drinks are becoming increasingly popular: they are consumed at the office to boost performance, and at parties they are supposed to banish fatigue. Children and teenagers are also reaching for energy drinks with increasing frequency – but without thinking about the undesirable side effects that the stimulating drinks can cause.

Energy drinks: What’s in them?

Depending on the manufacturer, the ingredients of an energy drink may well vary – but as a rule, the drink is composed of the following ingredients and additives:

  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Vitamins and minerals
  • Caffeine
  • Taurine
  • Glucuronolactone
  • Acidifier or acidity regulators, respectively
  • Coloring and flavoring agents

Guarana and inositol are also added to some energy drinks.

Effect of energy drinks

Energy drinks have a stimulating effect: they drive away fatigue and are also said to have a positive effect on our concentration and performance. This effect of energy drinks is mainly due to the caffeine they contain. In Germany, a maximum of 320 milligrams of caffeine per liter is permitted: An energy drink (250 milliliters) usually contains about 80 milligrams of caffeine. By way of comparison, a cup of coffee contains 50 to 100 milligrams of caffeine, and a large glass of cola 60 milligrams. In addition to caffeine, energy drinks also contain larger amounts of sugar, which can also lead to a short-term increase in performance. Since energy drinks have a relatively high number of calories due to the high sugar content, sugar-free variants with sweetener are now also sold. However, they do not provide the additional energy boost from the sugar. In addition to sugar and caffeine, most energy drinks also contain taurine. Although taurine itself has no stimulating effect, it is supposed to accelerate the effectiveness of the other ingredients. Exactly what effect taurine has on the body and what the effects of long-term use are has not yet been conclusively clarified. The maximum amount permitted in energy drinks is 4,000 milligrams per liter.

Effect of other ingredients in Red Bull and Co.

Not only caffeine, sugar and taurine are on the list of ingredients in energy drinks such as Red Bull and Co. and enhance the stimulating effect. Inositol, a hexavalent alcohol, is also added to some soft drinks. The substance is said to play a key role in converting nutrients into energy – but a positive effect on performance has not been proven. There is also a maximum limit for inositol in energy drinks; it is 200 milligrams per liter. Another popular ingredient is guarana, a plant whose seeds contain caffeine. Unlike the caffeine in coffee beans, the caffeine in guarana seeds develops gradually. Therefore, they are often used as an additive in energy drinks. For the substance glucuronolactone, manufacturers of energy drinks must observe a maximum amount of 2,400 milligrams per liter. The danger with this substance is that it can potentially enhance harmful effects of other substances.

Side effects of energy drinks

Due to the caffeine contained in energy drinks, the drinks can have unpleasant side effects. This is especially the case when energy drinks are consumed in larger quantities. Then the following complaints can occur:

  • Sleep disturbances
  • Headache
  • Gastrointestinal complaints
  • Nervousness

Therefore, people who are (over)sensitive to caffeine, better not drink energy drinks. Similarly, energy drinks should not be consumed by pregnant women, by nursing mothers and by hypertensive patients. Energy drinks are also not suitable for children and adolescents, particularly because of the high caffeine content. It is particularly important to avoid energy drinks in connection with sporting activities and alcohol. Otherwise – especially when larger quantities of energy drinks are consumed – other serious side effects can occur: These include cardiac arrhythmias, kidney failure as well as seizures.

Energy drinks and alcohol

At parties, alcohol is often mixed with energy drinks to drive away fatigue or the bitter taste of alcohol. The combination of the two drinks should be viewed critically: Since both drinks deprive the body of water, there may be a severe loss of fluid.In addition, the combination of the two drinks leads to a subjectively increased assessment of performance. This is due to the fact that the effect of the energy drink overlays that of the alcohol: consequently, one feels less drunk than one actually is. This can have devastating consequences, for example, for the assessment of one’s own fitness to drive. In general, the interactions of energy drinks and alcohol have not yet been sufficiently researched. To avoid harm, the combination of energy drinks with high-proof alcohol should be avoided in any case.

Energy drinks and sports

Whether athletic performance can be enhanced by energy drinks is controversial. Some studies suggest that energy drinks have a positive effect on aerobic endurance performance. Other studies, however, cannot confirm this effect. Presumably, the positive effect of energy drinks is due to the fact that the body is supplied with additional energy by the drink. However, it should be noted that energy drinks are hypertonic beverages that draw fluid from the body. Thus, they can contribute to dehydration of the body, especially during prolonged endurance exercise. This can cause serious side effects. Therefore, it is better to resort to water than energy drinks when exercising.

Are energy drinks unhealthy?

Adults who occasionally consume a pure energy drink do not have to fear any negative consequences for their health. Nevertheless, instead of drinking an energy drink, it is better to take a break and let the body rest. After all, fatigue or a drop in performance are signs that the body needs a time-out. Under no circumstances should it become a habit to cover up such signals from the body with energy drinks. It should also be noted that energy drinks often contain large amounts of sugar and are therefore relatively high in calories. The high sugar content can have a negative impact on both teeth and body weight.

Are energy drinks harmful?

The question of whether or not energy drinks are harmful cannot be answered definitively. This is because studies on the long-term effects of energy drinks and their ingredients on our bodies are still pending. Of course, the decisive factor for the effects of energy drinks on the body is always the amount consumed. In general, however, energy drinks should not be drunk by children and adolescents: This is because no safe consumption levels are known for them to date, and the high doses of caffeine or taurine are not suitable for them. In particular, children and young people with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy or heart defects should not drink energy drinks. One should be particularly careful with so-called energy shots in general: These often contain the same amount of active ingredient as large energy drinks, but distributed in significantly less liquid. That’s why you should always take a look at the ingredients before buying an energy drink in general.