Monster, NOS, Red Bull, Rockstar, 5 Hour Energy. They are the go-to for college students and late night workaholics. Energy drinks are mostly targeted towards kids and teens, but people of all ages drink them. Energy drinks are promoted to improve concentration and alertness and to help both mental and physical performance. But do you know the truth behind the two most used ingredients?

Sugar Overload

Sugar is the second most prevalent ingredient in energy drinks. Most energy drinks contain between 24 to 29 grams of sugar. One tablespoon is equivalent to 12.5 grams, so each 8 oz energy drink contains 2 to 2 1/3 tablespoons of sugar. A lot of cans, however, are more than 8 oz. and many are 16 to 24 oz., doubling and tripling the amount of sugar.

If you think that’s bad, listen to this. Because energy drinks are loaded with sugar and sugar is empty calories, your body doesn’t recognize the calories to make you feel full. That means you will stay hungry and you could be taking in a small meal’s worth of calories without providing the nutrients your body needs.

Caffeine Intoxication

The good news is our bodies are excellent adapters! This means if you are a common energy drinker, your body is likely tolerant to the caffeine. This is why you may have started your energy drinking journey with a small can of Red Bull and have needed to change to a couple more Red Bulls throughout the day. Your body adjusts.

Unfortunately, too much of anything is a bad thing and caffeine is no exception. If you’re an avid caffeine drinker, your body becomes dependent on the caffeine. Because it becomes tolerant to the ingredient, it needs it to continue the way it has been. This means your body has become reliant upon caffeine and if you don’t satisfy the craving, your body will show symptoms of withdrawal.

A good rule of thumb is to consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine, which is how much is found in a cup of coffee. So if you’re having a hard time quitting the caffeine, pick energy drinks that don’t exceed that amount.

It’s Easy to Get Addicted

It’s no surprise that caffeine is an addicting ingredient because of the way it makes you feel. Energy drinks are full of caffeine, making it easy to get addicted to the beverage. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms include:

Keep in mind that caffeine withdrawal symptoms normally start within 12 to 24 hours but can take up to 36 hours. Symptoms usually peak within 48 hours, and the worst side effects typically end with a few days to a week, but it can take up to 12 days.

If you have any questions or wish to make an appointment with one of our award-winning doctors, call our office at 801-724-9840.