Energy Drinks: Are We Really Getting  More Energy?

It is not unusual to see people reaching for an energy drink after a long day at work, during exam preparations, on a long drive, or in-between a hectic shift. For many young people, it has become an easy way to deal with tiredness.

You drink one and, for a while, you feel more awake. You can concentrate better and somehow manage to push through the next few hours.

But there is something important to understand: an energy drink does not actually remove your tiredness. It mainly makes you feel less tired for a while.

Most energy drinks contain caffeine, along with varying amounts of sugar and other stimulants. Caffeine works on the brain by blocking adenosine, a chemical that builds up when we are awake and makes us feel sleepy. This is why you feel more alert after drinking it.

The problem is when this temporary solution becomes a regular habit.

When tiredness becomes a cycle

Imagine you have had very little sleep because of work or studying. You drink an energy drink to stay awake. You manage to get through the day, but the caffeine later affects your sleep. The next morning, you are tired again and reach for another one.

This can easily become a cycle.

And while the occasional energy drink is unlikely to cause problems in a healthy adult, regularly consuming large amounts of caffeine can cause palpitations, increased heart rate, anxiety, restlessness, headaches and difficulty sleeping. Some people are much more sensitive to caffeine than others.

What about the sugar?

Some energy drinks also contain a surprisingly large amount of added sugar. Having them regularly can add a significant number of calories to your diet and, over time, contribute to weight gain, dental problems and an increased risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Choosing a sugar-free version may reduce the sugar, but it does not remove the caffeine. So it is worth checking the label rather than assuming that a particular brand is harmless.

A word of caution about alcohol

Energy drinks mixed with alcohol are another concern. Caffeine can make you feel more awake, but it does not make you less intoxicated. You may feel more alert while your judgment and coordination are still affected by alcohol.

This can make it easier to underestimate how impaired you actually are.

So, how much is too much?

For most healthy adults, up to about 400 mg of caffeine a day is generally considered a level unlikely to cause harm, although people vary in how they respond to caffeine. And remember that your daily caffeine intake includes coffee, tea, cola, chocolate and other caffeinated products—not just energy drinks.

Children and teenagers are better off avoiding energy drinks. Pregnant women and people with certain heart conditions, high blood pressure, anxiety or sleep problems may also need to be more careful with caffeine.

The bigger question

If you find yourself needing an energy drink almost every day just to function normally, it may be worth asking yourself why you are so tired in the first place.

Are you sleeping enough? Eating properly? Drinking enough water? Are you under a lot of stress? Or has the tiredness been going on for long enough that it deserves a proper medical evaluation?

As doctors, we often focus on treating the problem in front of us. But sometimes the simplest thing is to look at what the body has been trying to tell us all along.

An energy drink can help you stay awake for a few more hours.

It cannot give your body the sleep it missed.

So, before reaching for another can, sometimes the healthiest choice may simply be to slow down, rest, and listen to what your body needs.

-Dr Bonita S Pradhan