How to Improve with Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are non-alcoholic beverages containing high levels of caffeine or other stimulants plus amino acids, herbs and vitamins. They are often marketed as fatigue killers and refreshing beverages that can improve physical and mental performance.
While some energy drinks may have useful effects, they can also pose risks if consumed in excess. Especially in teens, children and older adults.
1. Caffeine
Caffeine is a drug that millions of people use every day to boost energy and increase concentration. It’s a natural stimulant that comes from over 60 plants, including coffee beans, cocoa, kola nuts, tea leaves, yerba mate and guarana berries.
It blocks adenosine receptors in your brain, which helps make you feel alert. It also increases the release of catecholamines that send your heart beating faster, pump more blood to your muscles and tell your liver to make sugar into energy.
But it also increases blood pressure, and it can lead to addiction. In addition, it’s possible to build up a tolerance to caffeine, which means you have to take more of it to get the same effect.
2. Sugar
Sugar is one of the most common ingredients in energy drinks. It’s loaded with calories and is linked to a number of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
Sugar comes from the sugar beet plant, which produces a sweet nutrient called sucrose. It is the simplest group of carbohydrates and can be used as a tabletop and industrial sweetener.
Sugar intake should be kept to a minimum, with experts recommending that women should limit their daily sugar intake to 24g and men 36g. It’s also important to consume more wholegrain foods and fruits and vegetables than you do sweetened beverages.
3. Vitamins
Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body needs for a variety of reasons. From helping to metabolize the food you eat into energy to supporting your brain and nerves, vitamins are vital for good health.
B-vitamins (especially niacin and vitamin B12) are commonly found in energy drinks and energy shots, as are some amino acids like taurine and L-carnitine. However, B-vitamins do not provide an immediate energy boost and may have a negative impact on blood sugar levels.
As the number of vegan diets and other dietary trends continue to rise, more food items are being fortified with important vitamins and minerals. These include breakfast cereals, flours, milk and dairy products, infant formulas, oils and fats, and beverages.
4. Minerals
Minerals are the building blocks of everything around us. They are found in everything from our talcum powder to gold and silver, the pigments in paints to the metals used in household appliances.
A mineral is a naturally occurring homogeneous solid with a definite chemical composition and a highly ordered atomic arrangement. They are usually formed from inorganic processes, but humans have developed technology to create minerals synthetically in the laboratory.
Minerals are characterized by several physical properties including color, streak, hardness, luster, diaphaneity, specific gravity, cleavage and fracture. These are useful in identifying minerals, but more important in determining their potential industrial uses.
5. Other Ingredients
In addition to caffeine, most energy drinks contain other ingredients. These include sugars, vitamins, amino acids, electrolytes and herbal extracts.
Caffeine, the main ingredient in most energy drinks, can increase mental alertness and boost physical performance. However, too much can cause sleep problems and other health issues.
Vitamins and minerals help with a wide variety of cellular functions in your body. These substances are also critical for energy production, which is why they are often added to energy drinks. Other ingredients, such as guarana and ginseng, are often included to add more caffeine or to improve the drink’s taste. Ginseng, for example, has been found to have a positive effect on brain function.
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