Energy drinks are popular partly because they often claim to be a quick, easy way to feel alert, energetic and “on top of your game.”

Heidi Bates, a registered dietitian and sport nutritionist at the University of Alberta, says that these drinks can seem like the perfect solution for people who lead busy lives, but cautions that “you can get too much of a good thing.”

This article addresses some of the issues and concerns surrounding the increased consumption of energy drinks and outlines why experts like Bates are urging people to “think before they drink.”

Energy Drink Ingredients and Potential Health Risks
Energy drinks are complex mixtures of ingredients. While the ingredients vary among different brands and flavours, most contain caffeine and sugar. Other ingredients may include amino acids and herbs.

Energy drinks are often marketed with language that suggests the drinks can increase feelings of alertness, energy and vitality. Except for caffeine, there is no strong evidence to show that common ingredients such as taurine (an amino acid), ginseng (an herb), or B vitamins increase alertness.

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Caffeine is a stimulant that increases feelings of alertness. Most energy drinks contain 80 to 100 mg of caffeine in a 250 ml (8 fl. oz.) serving, which is roughly the same amount of caffeine found in a 250 ml cup of coffee.

Although caffeine can boost sagging energy levels, there are downsides if you overdo it. The relatively large amounts of caffeine found in a container of energy drink can produce physical side effects such as heart palpitations (irregular heart beat), anxiety, stomach upset, a temporary increase in blood pressure, and insomnia. As well, you may feel “jittery” and irritable.

Caffeine is also a diuretic: it causes the body to lose fluid. Taking in excessive amounts of caffeine can increase the risk of dehydration or the loss of essential body water.

Physically active people who also consume energy drinks should be aware of the potential for increased loss of body water.

If you are a healthy adult and drink less than 500 ml (two cups) per day of energy drinks, there is no significant health risk.

However, since most energy drinks contain relatively large amounts of caffeine, Health Canada recommends that the following groups avoid energy drinks:

• athletes
• children
• youth
• pregnant women
• breastfeeding women
• people who are taking stimulant medications

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Another thing to avoid is mixing energy drinks with alcohol. Combining energy drinks with alcohol has been linked with a number of deaths worldwide. Although each case is different and it has not been determined exactly how or why such deaths occur, experts caution against mixing the two beverages.

Avoiding Sugar Highs and the Caffeine Habit
Another concern is that energy drinks contain relatively large amounts of sugar.

One 250 ml serving contains seven to 10 teaspoons of sugar; about the same amount found in a similar serving of cola. Consuming excessive amounts of sugar increases the amount of calories you take in and makes it difficult to manage your weight.

“Do most of us need more calories? I don’t think so,” says Bates.

Caffeine withdrawal is something else energy drink users need to consider. Over time, people who have a caffeine habit will need higher doses to get the same effects, says Bates. If they take in less caffeine than they are used to having, withdrawal symptoms occur, for example, headaches, cravings, and feeling “fuzzy” or irritable.

Energy Drinks are not Sports Drinks
Energy drinks are sometimes confused with sports drinks, and it’s important to know the difference.

During physical activity, our bodies lose water through sweat or perspiration, and through the water vapour in the air we breathe in and out. To replace these losses, sport nutritionists recommend sports drinks for people who are active for more than one hour.

Sports drinks contain water, small amounts of sugar and minerals like sodium and potassium that are lost during intense physical activity. They contain little or no caffeine and do not generally contain the herbs and amino acids found in energy drinks.

“Energy drinks should not be used to replace water or sports drinks during physical activity,” offers Bates. “The high levels of caffeine and sugar found in energy drinks are not necessary during sport and may actually take away from performance.”

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Lifestyle Tips to Combat Fatigue
The use of energy drinks can mask problems such as lack of sleep, inadequate activity levels or nutrient deficiencies. So it may be time to consider changing your lifestyle. For example:

• Track your sleeping habits. Most people need to sleep seven to nine hours a night in order to feel energetic the next day.
• Aim to be active for 60 minutes a day, as recommended by Canada’s Physical Activity Guide. Inactivity can cause energy levels to drop.
• Follow the advice provided by Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide. To maintain good energy, drink plenty of water or other fluids, and choose a variety of foods from the four food groups. Avoid skipping meals and stay away from extreme weight-loss diets.

Want to feel more energetic? Choose well. While energy drinks can get you over a rough spot, they cannot replace a healthy lifestyle. Instead, take a natural approach to vitality: get enough rest, be active and eat well.

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Learn More

Safe Use of Energy Drinks
Information from Health Canada.

Energy Drinks FAQs
Information from Healthy Ontario.

What’s the Buzz with Energy Drinks
Information from the Coaching Association of Canada.