In Russia, they want to ban these drinks every now and then – they say, there is more harm from them than benefit, but advertising is silent about the harm. But so far, it has only come to a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children. And that’s not everywhere.
So can you really drink them? How do energy drinks affect the body, is there any harm from them? Nutritional experts are unequivocally opposed: they generally believe that soda is one of the most harmful inventions of mankind. After all, there is sugar and various acids that destroy teeth, over time destroy metabolism, and just make you get fat. And at the Mayo Clinic Medical Center (one of the largest private medical and research centers in the world, located in Rochester, USA) decided to approach the issue impartially and did a little research.
Scientists have collected 25 completely healthy volunteers aged about 29 years, divided them into two groups and began to conduct an experiment. One group was given almost half a liter of energy drink every day – 475 ml in our units. That is, a standard tin can. The second group drank a placebo drink – it had no stimulant, but had the same amount of sugar and calories. Who got what, the participants in the experiment did not know.
After the drink was drunk, the “test subjects” were tested. As a result, it turned out that those who drank the energy drink had a sharp increase in the level of the stress hormone norepinephrine in their blood. It is also called “fight or flight” – this is how this hormone acts on a person. So, its number increased by 74 percent. In addition, the blood pressure of people-“power engineers” jumped up sharply. Those who drank the placebo were also affected by this hormone. But its level did not rise so strongly – by 30 percent. And with the pressure they were all right.
“The test results are alarming. After all, even if these drinks cause such reactions in healthy people, then, perhaps, in people with arrhythmia or high blood pressure, the reaction will be even more powerful. This can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, ”said the head of the study, cardiologist Anna Svatikova.
nutritionist-nutritionist of the Elemax company
Energetics really allow you to eliminate the feeling of fatigue and improve brain function for a relatively short period of time due to the high sugar content. Sugar is converted into glucose, which is the body’s fastest energy source. Energetic contains taurine – it is an amino acid that speeds up the work of the heart; carnitinewhich improves metabolism; caffeine, relieving fatigue. The drink has a tonic effect due to the extracts of guarana and ginseng plants.
However, you have to pay for everything: an imaginary feeling of cheerfulness can lead to rapid fatigue of the central nervous system, and problems with sleep and appetite can also arise. With a stomach ulcer, a carbonated drink can cause a burst of gastric juice, which in turn can exacerbate the course of the disease.
Energy drinks containing alcohol are especially dangerous. They combine substances opposite in effect on the body: alcohol has a calming effect, and taurine, together with similar components, has a stimulating effect. In this regard, those areas in the brain are simultaneously activated, which in a normal state should not actively “work” together. As a result, you get indigestion, damage to the heart muscle and endocrine organs.
In order not to litter the body with “artificial” energy, one must remember to rest, get enough sleep, go in for sports, and be more often in the fresh air. And the doctor will advise you to take vitamins, not to neglect this advice.
Interview
Do you drink energy drinks?
No, never, I think it’s harmful.
I don’t drink because they have a lot of calories.
It happens sometimes when you want to cheer up.
I drink, and often: I have too little time to sleep.