Introduction - University of Florida



Evaluation of Stimulant Beverages and Their Effects on the Body

Introduction

The popularity of stimulant beverages in the United States has risen dramatically in the past half-century. More and more people are looking to get an extra boost of energy in their daily routine, and some are even looking to be more productive as a result of drinking these drinks. Originally including just coffee and tea, the stimulant beverage category has grown to include so called energy drinks, sports drinks, and sodas. These beverages all work by either including a large amount of sugar or caffeine, important metabolic intermediates, or electrolytes and antioxidants that work to revitalize or stimulate the body. Energy drinks may have come into existence as early as 1901 in Scotland. (Penalty, J. 2007) Lipovitan-D entered into the Japanese market place in the 1960’s and was the first energy drink to include vitamin B, niacin, and taurine. (Malinauskas, B. et al., 2007; Penalty, J. 2007) These are some of the most common ingredients in Rockstar and other new energy drinks. Austria tweaked the original ingredients in Red Bull, making it the world popular drink that it is today. The key to Red Bull’s success is the addition of caffeine and sugar to the original energy drink ingredients. The individual effects of each of these ingredients have not yet been tested and therefore some stipulate that they may be potentially harmful. (Warburton, D. M., et al. 2001).

Research has found that these beverages really do induce a stimulant response in the body, but the extent of to which and the negative effects of which have been debated. This review paper aims to evaluate coffee, tea, artificial sweeteners, sports drinks, the ingredients of energy drinks, and energy drinks themselves with respect to how they work, how effective they are, and what their negative effects are.

Coffee and Tea

Coffee and tea are two of the most common stimulants compromised of thousands of different chemicals including caffeine and different antioxidants. Caffeine is present in varying degrees in tea and coffee has both positive and negative health effects. Antioxidants, also present in both beverages, result in positive health benefits such as the ability to perform chemical reactions that disable mutagenic activity. Another important component specific only to tea, theanine, has significant effects on the central nervous system by altering brain chemistry.

Caffeine in Tea and Coffee

Caffeine is a natural alkaloid that is present in coffee beans (Frei & Higdon, 2006). The amount of caffeine in tea is less than in coffee with around 17mg-100ml in tea and 75-100 mg in coffee (Gardner, Leeds, & Ruxton, 2007). Caffeine is first absorbed in the stomach and small intestine and into the bloodstream which carries the stimulant through out the body and brain. Caffeine is then primarily metabolized in the liver (Frei & Higdon, 2006). There is conflicting research on whether caffeine holistically produces positive health effects or negative effects. Previous research supports caffeine as beneficial to increasing cognitive abilities, alertness, and metabolic rates, while the adverse claims include hypertension, dehydration, increased blood pressure, and insomnia (Carrillo & Benitez, 2005 as reported in Frei & Higdon, 2006; Green & Suls, 1996; Neuhauser-Berthold et al., 1997; Nuriminen et al., 1999; FSA, 2001; Smith, 2002 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007). Recent research claims dehydration is only problematic with substantial amounts of caffeine around 300 mg or seven cups of tea a day (Warburton, 1995; Graham, 2001; Smith, 2002 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007).

Antioxidants in Tea and Coffee

Coffee and tea both contain compounds classified as polyphenols which play significant roles as antioxidants once ingested (Bonita, Mandarano, Shuta, et al., 2007; Frei & Higdon, 2006; Fuijoka & Shibamoto, 2007; Gardner et al., 2007). In coffee, the polyphenol compound is chlorogenic acid (Bonita et al., 2007; Frei & Higdon, 2006; Fuijoka & Shibamoto, 2007). In tea the polyphenol compound is a group known as flavoniodsflavonoids; two specific types of flavoniods flavonoids include catechins and theaflavins (Gardner et al., 2007). Antioxidants are vital in stopping the reactions due to free radicals which cause DNA and cell membrane oxidation. These reactions lead to negative health affects effects which could promote cancerous activity (Bonita et al., 2007; Dufresne & Farnworth, 2001 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007). Evidence from multiple studies strengthens tea’s linkage towards affecting the cardiovascular system due to the presence of polyphenol flavoniodsflavonoids (Gardner et al., 2007). The mechanistic paths of the flavoniodsflavonoids and chlorogenic acid slightly differ within the body, leading into the differences between the two antioxidants (Bonita et al., 2007; Frei B, & Higdon, 2006; Gardner et al., 2007 ).

Mechanism of Flavoniods Flavonoids in the Body

As well as an antioxidant, the presence of flavonoids in tea is also connected to lowering the risk of coronary heart disease by increasing heart circulation (Hirata et al., 2004 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007) and lowering LDL cholesterol (Davies et al., 2003 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007). The flavoniodsflavonoids are first absorbed in the stomach then absorbed into the bloodstream (Rietveld & Wiseman, 2003 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007). In the bloodstream, these antioxidants are specifically located in the plasma and then carried out through the body (Gardner et al., 2007). Once in the bloodstream, the flavonoids decrease oxidative stress which betters smooth muscle cell function (Gardner et al., 2007). In comparison to coffee, flavonoids have a greater effect on decreasing cardiovascular health risks.

Mechanism in Body of Chlorogenic Acid

There is about 70-350mg of chlorogenic acid present in an average cup of coffee which contributes to antioxidant activity (Clifford, 1999 as reported in Frei & Higdon, 2006). The oxidation of chlorogenic acid as a pure antioxidant was proven stronger than the components in black tea (Bonita et al., 2007). Consistent with tea’s flavoniodsflavonoids, chlorogenic acid is also involved in the oxidation of LDLof LDL cholestrolcholesterol in the plasma of the bloodstream (Laranjinha & Almeida, 1994 as reported in Bonita et al., 2007). Along with oxidation in the bloodstream, chlorogenic acid also oxidizes on an area beneath the endothelium, a surface lining the body’s cavities (Bonita et al., 2007). Research claims that oxidation of the endothelial surface as more important than oxidation in the plasma (Steinberg & Witztum, 2001 as reported in Bonita et al., 2007).

Presence of Amino Acid Theanine in Tea

Theanine is an amino acid present only in tea with significant effects on the central nervous system. Theanine alters the body psychologically by reducing stress and physiologically by lowering heart rate (Gardner et al., 2007; Kimura, Ozeki, Raj Juneja et al., 2006). In one animal study, theanine was shown as functioning similar to a neurotransmitter (Gardner et al., 2007). The effects of the amino acid altered the brain chemistry by changing the amounts of serotonin and dopamine while also increasing memory and cognitive capabilities (Unno et al., 1999 as reported in Gardner et al., 2007). In a human study, theanine also increased levels of dopamine and serotonin in brain areas of hippocampus and hypothalamus. The psychological effects of increasing dopamine and serotonin decreased stress in human subjects (Kimura et al., 2006). The physiological effects included decreasing blood pressure and curbing the stimulant effects of caffeine (Kimura et al., 2006).

In summary, two widely consumed stimulants, coffee and tea, contain many of the same general compounds which effect and alter the body in varying respects. The effects of caffeine are widely studied, but there are other chemicals present which account for other significant effects of the beverages. Antioxidants in both drinks contribute important oxidation abilities which hinder future cancerous activity. Also, tea contains an essential amino acid which reduces stress and elevates mood while opposes caffeine’s negative stimulant effects.

Effects of Sugars and Artificial Sweeteners

Carbohydrates such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose, as well as artificial sweeteners including aspartame and saccharin, are commonly found in coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Carbohydrates are generally high in calories and artificial sweeteners are free of calories. These ingredients engender diverse effects and add sweetness to high energy beverages. Two areas of particular interest are their effects on satiety and cognitive performance. Bertenshaw et al. (2007) revealed that certain carbohydrate and artificially sweetened beverages change overall energy intake and influence controls on appetite.

Carbohydrates delivered in the form of a beverage tend to provoke an imbalance in food intake. In many cases, this imbalance in food intake leads to overloads of carbohydrates in the body and eventually to obesity. Cognitive function can be improved through the ingestion of moderate amounts of glucose solution (Scholey et al., 2004). Artificial sweeteners in contrast, do not provide a cognitive boost similar to glucose.

Satiety and Energy Intake

Satiety is defined as a physiologically and psychologically state of fullness usually experienced after the consumption of food. It is a process regulated by hormones that transport signals to the hypothalamus in the brain (Provencher & Reichert, 1991). Carbohydrates have shown to have diverse effects on hunger and appetite control (Stubbs et al., 2001). Bertenshaw et al. (2007) states that the commonly accepted perspective of liquid carbohydrate ingestion on overall energy intake is that carbohydrates in beverages do not reduce appetite to the same degree as solids. Also compared to proteins, carbohydrates seem to have a much diminished satiating effect. Overall, beverages with carbohydrates such as sucrose or glucose do not reduce total energy intake and supply satiety to the consumer. In contrast, beverages with a combination of protein and carbohydrates result in more effective energy intake. In accordance with the above findings, Wymelbelke et al. (2003) noted that the total energy intake increased dramatically when sucrose containing drinks were ingested. They also confirmed the theory that overall calorie intake is increased when carbohydrates are consumed in the solution form as opposed to a solid.

Sugars have shown to decrease amount of food ingested temporarily (Akhavan & Anderson., 2007). Regardless of the type of sugar, the effect on hunger and fullness was found to be very similar among different ratios of glucose and fructose. Bertenshaw et al. (2007) reported that satiety resulting from carbohydrates was fleeting in nature and energy intake was overall greater than that of protein counterparts. It is believed that the stimulant nature of sweetness in carbohydrates may have diminished the onset of satiety. Wymelbeke et al. (2003) reported no change in the degree of hunger or amount of energy ingested following the consumption of an artificially sweetened or sucrose sweetened beverage. Due to the non-caloric nature of artificial sweeteners, total energy ingested was greatest with beverages containing sucrose.

The consumption of carbohydrates and artificial sweeteners in liquid form generally has little to no effect on overall fullness and hunger. The combination of high calorie carbohydrates and normal ingestion of food can lead to an excessive disproportion in energy intake.

Cognitive Effects of Glucose

Glucose is a crucial energy source for the brain and is key in maintaining normal function of the central nervous system (Sunram-Lea et al., 2001). Glucose is the driving force behind the majority of biochemical processes within the human body. Scholey and Kennedy (2004) reported that glucose can enhance such cognitive areas as memory recall, reaction time, and the processing of visual information. These improvements in function were observed after glucose was administered through a dilute beverage similar to an energy drink. It is important to note that glucose was always delivered in conjunction with moderate amounts of caffeine. When caffeine and glucose were delivered in isolation from each other, the cognitive effects were not significant (Scholey, & Kennedy, 2004). Interesting side effects of the consumption of glucose include an increase in heart rate and a dramatic boost in blood glucose level.

Meikel et al. (2005) demonstrated that ingestion of glucose positively benefits memory functioning. When compared with the effects of an artificial sweetener such as aspartame, glucose had an observably greater positive impact on memory recall. Improved memory recall with glucose is believed to be associated with raised blood glucose level or the presence of insulin receptors in the brain. Sunram et al. (2004) reported that the delivering of glucose with fat diminishes the cognitive improvements and increased blood glucose levels recognized when glucose is isolated. It is undetermined whether the dampening of the effects of glucose in the presence of fat is caused by a lessened blood glucose level or if the fat directly affects cognitive performance.

Many previous studies have shown the effects of administering glucose before learning. Post-learning intake of glucose has also been shown to enhance memory and long term recall (Sunram-Lea et al. 2002). The beneficial effects of glucose treatment were recognized as long as twenty-four hours following administration.

In summation, glucoseGlucose treatment seems to be effective for cognitive alertness, regardless of when it is administered. More research should be conducted in order to concretely determine why glucose promotes cognitive function.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are another type of beverage that could be considered a stimulant because they claim to have energizing effects on the body, especially on athletes that have been under physically stressful conditions for long periods of time. The first real “sports drink” was developed in 1965 by a team of researchers from the University of Florida led by Dr. Robert Cade (Paul, Mora-Rodriguez, Gonzalez-Alonso, and Coyle, 1995). These scientists were trying to prevent dehydration and increase the performance of the players on the football team by providing them with a beverage that contained fluids and electrolytes to replenish the ones being lost in sweat (Paul et al., 1995). This beverage, called Gatorade, would eventually lead the way to the development of many other sports beverages, each claiming that it prevented dehydration and led to an increase in performance better than the others.

Are They Sports Drinks Really Effective?

One of the main reasons that consumers purchase and use sports drinks is their claim that, when drunk consumed before or during strenuous physical activity, these beverages can actually keep the athlete better hydrated and can increase their performance better than water or other fluids. This claim was examined in a study conducted by Shirreffs et al. in which four commonly used drinks were compared in restoring the fluid and electrolyte balance to subjects dehydrated by exercise in heat (2007). The study utilized a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution (Gatorade), a carbonated water/apple juice mixture (Apfelschorle), San Benedetto mineral water, and Evian mineral water to determine which was most effective. The study found that the athletes who had drank Gatorade during their workout h ad the same hydration status as before their workouts, while the rest of the athletes experienced dehydration after drinking Apfelschorle, Benedetto mineral water, and Evian mineral water. In addition, the athletes drinking Gatorade demonstrated the highest intake of the electrolytes sodium and chloride, with Apfelschorle drinkers having the highest intake of potassium.

This study seems to demonstrate that drinking sports drinks during workouts can actually rehydrate the athlete and replenish his or her lost electrolytes better than just water or other normal drinks. The athletes in the study were physically in better shape due to the sugars and electrolytes in the sports drinks as opposed to the minimal benefits of the other liquids. Interestingly, sports drinks also seem to have an effect on the performance of athletes that who drink them before or during vigorous exercise. In an experiment by Paul et al., researchers examined the effects of carbohydrate ingestion and hydration on performance, body temperature, and heart rate of the athletes after one hour of intense cycling (1995). The subjects were given one of four treatments, the first two being a large and a small amount of a 6% carbohydrate solution and the second two being a large and a small amount of a 40% maltodextrin solution. The researchers found that there was a 6.5% increase in the cycling speed when using the large amounts as opposed to the small amounts of liquid and a 6.3% increase in cycling speed when using the carbohydrate solution as opposed to the maltodextrin solution. Also, the larger amounts of liquids caused the subjects to have an overall lower body temperature and a lower heart rate than the smaller quantities of liquids. There was no noticeable difference between the carbohydrate and maltodextrin solutions with respect to body temperature and heart rate.

These results show that sports drinks increase the overall performance of an athlete under stress by keeping the athlete hydrated and ensuring he or she has an abundant supply of metabolites. This is the goal of most sports drinks, and each seems to achieve it by using a combination of various metabolites and about 8% carbohydrates. According to Shi, the optimum sports drink should contain about 6 to 8% carbohydrates, 100 milligrams of sodium, at least 28 milligrams of potassium, no carbonation, and no caffeine (1995). This combination supposedly allows the sports drink to be absorbed as quickly as possible by the body and to replenish the nutrients lost in sweat by replacing the major elements of it.

Negative Effects

With all the research done about how energy drinks can maintain the high levels of performance of athletes for longer, consuming sports drinks during strenuous exercise seems logical. However, these drinks can also have negative effects on the body if not used properly. According to BBC News, in a study done by Dr. Alex Milosevic reported a case in which after a 23 year old marathon runner came to his dentist’s office with extensive tooth erosion, ; he Milosevic found that the acidic composition, not the sugars in sports drinks, contribute more to significant tooth decay (1999). Major loss of tooth enamel can occur at an acidic pH of 5.5. Milosevic found that in 8 major sports drinks, not a single one had a pH value of above 4.5, and one even had a pH of 2.4.

Furthermore, sports drinks have been proven to complicate certain disorders in the body if not taken carefully. Adding the extra sodium and electrolytes can indeed prove harmful, especially if not associated with exercise. In a case study by McDonnell et al., five pediatric patients were admitted to a hospital with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus, which is characterized by hyperglycemia (2006). All of the patients’ cases were complicated with hyperosmolarity and hypernatremia, and all of the patients documented consuming 5 to 12 L of carbonated carbohydrate beverages and sports drinks. In addition to complicating the patients’ diabetes by adding copious amounts of carbohydrates to the blood stream, sports drinks also served to increase sodium levels in the blood, which induced the hyperosmolarity and worsened the hypernatremia already present because of high glucose levels in the bloodstream. In short, although sports drinks are not recommended for anyone that is diabetic or otherwise has a hyperglycemic condition, ingesting them while having these problems serves only to exacerbate them to a large extent and demonstrates how harmful these products can be to the body if one is drinking them without exercising. If consumed without exercise, sodium and carbohydrate levels accumulate in the bloodstream and can eventually lead to weight gain and higher blood pressure.

Thus, it seems fairly clear that sports drinks can be very useful only if they serve a specific role in the diet. If they are consumed in conjunction with vigorous exercise and in reasonable quantities, they can actually improve the performance during a workout or sport. However, if used without doing exercise or in excessive amounts, these drinks can have a strong detrimental effect on the body leading to weight gain or high blood pressure; , the opposite of what most athletes want.

The Ingredients of Energy Drinks

The ingredients of energy drinks should alsowill be evaluated examined individually due to their uniqueness. Much controversy has surrounded energy drinks as soon as they gained popularity due to their interesting combination of various stimulants and caffeine-containing substances. Though each company creates its own concoction of ingredients and concentrations, certain ingredients are almost standard to all energy drinks besides the obvious caffeine and sugar. The two common ingredients that appear in high concentration in most energy drinks are taurine and guarana. Taurine is found as the ingredient in highest concentration (usually around 1000mg/240ml) in a drink, while guarana is not too far behind on the list, usually at 150mg/240ml. Much controversy has surrounded energy drinks as soon as they gained popularity due to their interesting combination of various stimulants and caffeine-containing substances.

Taurine

Taurine is an abundant non-essential amino acid that plays an important role in various biological and physiological functions. Research has shown that it interacts with GABA receptors by acting as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator in the brain and plays a role in long-term potentiation, a mechanism that triggers attention, learning, and memorization (Sergeeva et al., 2007). Moreover, research shows that taurine is crucial to neural development, and is a necessary nutrient both in cats and primates (Saransaari & Oja 2000). Taurine has been implicated as an antioxidant because of lowered endothelial nitric oxide synthase reactivity in older mice (Yildirim et al., 2007).

A study done by Bichler et al. (2006) states that a mixture of caffeine and taurine has been observed to slow down heart rate and increase blood pressure. This study presents contradictory results to a study done by Iyadurai and Chung (2007) that reported the physical state of energy drink drinkers who relayed increased heart rate as one of the effects of an energy drink.

Another study performed by Ginsburg and Lamb (2007) attempted to observe taurine’staurine’ s influence on ethanol. However, the results produced very little difference and the conclusion was that taurine does not have a significant role in altering the effects of ethanol. In contrast, a study done by Aragon et al. (1992) reported an enhancement of movement activity in mice that were administered both ethanol and taurine consecutively. Guarana

Guarana is a plant native to the Amazon Rainforest of Northern Brazil (Freitas et al., 2007; Haskell et al., 2007; Mattei et al., 1999). Used for centuries as a stimulant, it has also been known to have aphrodisiac, diuretic, antidiarrhetic, and antineuralgenic properties. The seeds of guarana contain caffeine, saponins, tannins, theobromine, and theophylline. The latter two are components of methylxanthine, along with caffeine, a base with mild stimulating effects (Espinola et al. 1997; Mattei et al. 1998). Saponins are glycosides present in seeds, fruits, and flowers, while tannin is a polyphenol that has been observed to act as an antioxidant (Espinola et al.,1996; Haskell et al., 2007; Santa Maria et al., 1998).

Guarana has gained greater recognition and interest in the research community with the increasing popularity of energy drinks in the last decade. Many studies have been done to study the effects and the dose-effect dependency of guarana.

In 1996, Espinola et al. examined the stimulating effects of guarana on mice. 0.1mg/ml of caffeine, 0.3mg/ml or 3mg/ml of guarana, and water as a control were administered to the mice for 200 consecutive days. Swimming tests for the mice were held 4 times, spaced out throughout the administration period to test for an anti-fatigue effect. A maze test and an active avoidance test were done in order to test learning ability and memory retention. Mice to which high doses of guarana were administered performed slightly better on swim tests. Learning and memory retention improved with a small dose of guarana (0.3mg/ml) but not with the high dose (3mg/ml), which instead was seen to be detrimental to learning and memory retention in mice. Most of the beneficial stimulating effects of guarana came from the low dosage of the plant extract, where caffeine concentration is negligibly low, leading the authors to hypothesize that the stimulating effects of guarana do not come from the caffeine, but from other components of the plant ( See also: Espinola et al. 1996; Haskell et al. 2007). No differences in lifespan were observed, implying the low toxicity of guarana in the body.

Mattei et al. (1998) continued the study of guarana’s effects on an organism. Acknowledging the lack of research available on the increasingly popular stimulant, the possible toxicity and antioxidative effects of guarana were studied. Spontaneous peroxidation in the brains of rats given guarana confirmed previous studies stating that guarana exhibits antioxidative effects by the inhibition of peroxidation in the brain by tannin molecules present in the seeds of the plant. No differences were observed in weight loss between guarana-administered and control rats. Histopathology and mortality did not show any variation between guarana-administered and control mice. The study concluded that guarana was a low-toxic substance that did not pose any serious harm to an organism with consumption, and acted as an antioxidant by the inhibition of spontaneous peroxidation.

In 2007, Haskell et al. performed a double-blind clinical trial of guarana administration of various doses in humans. The doses were 37.5mg, 75mg, 150mg, 300mg of guarana or a placebo. Speed of attention, speed of memory, accuracy of attention, secondary memory, and working memory were all observed under the variance of dosage. All doses affected mood, with the highest dose exhibiting the highest hyperactivity and contentedness. Alertness and contentment increased with dosage amount, while cognitive effects were most beneficial with the low dosages of guarana. Once again, this corresponds to previous data that observed a higher cognitive function at low doses rather than high ones (Espinola et al. 1996).

However, not all research leads to similar results. Research in the area has been inconsistent. While some studies do not observe any toxic effects of guarana in high amounts (Espinola et al. 1996; Freitas et al. 2007; Mattei et al. 1998), other studies warn that the plant can indeed display toxicity to an organism (Santa Maria, et al. 1996). Santa Maria et al. performed in vitro bioassays of guarana and observed that while low doses of guarana does appear low-toxic, high doses, such as 10mg-40mg/ml of guarana did exhibit significant cytotoxicity and warns of potential harm with great or prolonged use of guarana.

Presently, guarana has become a popular ingredient in energy drinks due to positive research results on cognitive improvement and memory retention. Though many studies have been recorded about the effects of guarana, the lack of research of such a popular substance calls for more investment in guarana research.

The study of specific, isolated ingredients have shown that the ingredients present in these energy drinks are in fact beneficial and largely non-toxic to humans. Contradictory conclusions indicate that research needs to continue its drive to attain better knowledge of the biological mechanisms behind the effects energy drinks are reported to cause. Case studies of energy drinks relay the outcome of consuming the drinks, but the studies do not unveil which ingredient is responsible for the evident effects. On the other hand, studying isolated ingredients does not take into account the interaction of one ingredient with the others present in an energy drink. A healthy, beneficial ingredient may produce widely varied effects when coupled with other substances. Since energy drinks are usually packed with a variety of ingredients, it becomes quite difficult to test these ingredients against each other and observe their interactions.

However, no matter the difficulty, the research of caffeine, taurine, guarana, and various other ingredients must continue and their interactions with each other and ethanol must be observed for any detrimental side effects. In addition, while short-term studies have been recorded, no long-term studies on energy drink consumers have been composed, leaving open the question of what long-term side effects there may be in consumption of energy drinks.

Energy DrinksRed Bull: The Gold Standard of Energy Drinks

Energy drinks can be separated from sports drinks, sugars, or solely caffeine in soda and coffee by their unique ingredients. Taurine, glucuronolactone, and vitamin B12 are the most common ingredients that set energy drinks apart from other stimulants. (Malinauskas, B. et al., 2007) Since energy drinks are so new to the market, there is little research done on the combined effects of any particular energy drink, except for Red Bull. Therefore, analyzing the combined effects of as many of the ingredients as possible is currently the best way to represent energy drinks, while comparing the physical and cognitive effects of these stimulants. Chronic effects must be taken into account along with acute effects in order to determine which beverage is a better source of energy.

Cognitive Effects

All energy drinks advertise that they increase mental awareness and even stimulate memory. “Vitalizes Body and Mind” is Red Bull’s motto. Choice reaction time was significantly improved after drinking red Red bull Bull compared to drinking carbonated water. (Alford, C., et al. 2000) Another secondary study was done comparingcompared Red Bull to water, no drink, and a dummy energy drink. Red bull consistently showed significant improvement in memory and concentration when compared with the controls. The positive effects on memory and concentration were contributed to caffeine and possibly the other biologically active ingredients in Red Bull.

Physical Effects

The most commonly advertised effect of energy drinks is their physical boost of energy. Red bull showed significant effects on the subject’s alertness and their aerobic endurance, when compared to carbonated water. (Alford, C., et al. 2000) When compared with a dummy energy drink, Red bull showed a significant improvement in performance in anaerobic endurance. These increases in physical performance are consistent with individual testing of both taurine and caffeine. It is also possible that glucuronolactone contributed to the “energy boost” experienced from Red Bull. (Alford, C., et al. 2000)

Positive and Negative Effects on the Body

A lot of health risk claims have been stuck to the Red Bull label, but most have proven to be “urban legends”. The most interesting myths are that taurine is derived from bull semen, the deaths that Red Bull has caused, and the effects of taurine in the drinks. The majority of the deaths that were attributed to Red Bull have been attributed to other causes. France, Denmark, and a few other countries still ban energy drinks with taurine. They justify their banning of the drinks because of the current lack of knowledge of the effects of taurine with the other ingredients in energy drinks.

The most commonly experienced effect from any stimulating beverage is the almost inevitable crash and occasional headache that follows. (Malinauskas, B. et al., 2007). The only stimulating beverages that do not incur these side effects are sports drinks, like Gatorade. The caffeine that causes these side effects helps to supply the boost of energy that most look for when they turn to stimulating drinks.

Most of the chronic effects of the individual ingredients in energy drinks have not been studied thoroughly enough. The combined effects of taurine and caffeine have just begun to surface and are reveling positive acute effect, but chronic studies have yet to surface. Acute studies on the combined ingredients of Red Bull have shown also shown positive acute effects, but have not been studied in chronic cases.

An increase in blood pressure is a concern for those who are interested in energy drinks. A study comparing Red Bull to carbonated water, dummy energy drinks, and water determined that there was no significant change in blood pressure after taking a Red Bull. (Alford, C., et al. 2000) They suggested that a tolerance to the increase in blood pressure seems to develop quickly and that taurine’s antihypertensive properties may balance out the expected increase in blood pressure. The balancing effect of the ingredients in energy drinks might prove to be better for you than the increase in blood pressure that drinks containing just caffeine cause.

Energy drinks definitely proved provide the jolt of energy that they promise. The headaches and crash that occasionally follow are generally experienced by all stimulating caffeinated drinks, not just energy drinks. Sports drinks are the only source of revitalization that do n’t not incur a “crash”.

Conclusion

Stimulant beverages have been extensively studied due in part to their novelty and in part to their widespread use. Coffee and tea, two widely studied caffeinated beverages, have been in existence longer than any other caffeinated drinks such as energy drinks. More studies have been conducted investigating the ingredients in these two beverages, which suggests coffee and tea as safer caffeinated beverages in comparison to energy drinks. These studies are mostly limited to acute effects of beverage intake. Recommendations include more research on the long term effects of the coffee and tea.

Coffee and tea are natural derivatives which contain beneficial antioxidants. In contrast, energy drinks are mostly synthetic which could introduce potential harm. It is also important to consider the genetic predisposition of individual metabolic rates when determining the effectiveness of caffeine. The metabolic rate has been studied to amplify the effects of caffeine (Donangelo C, Farah A, Monteiro M, et al., 2007). Overall, coffee and tea provide a safer alternative in regards to caffeinated beverages.

Carbohydrates and artificial sweeteners are present in caffeinated beverages. They are unsuccessful in providing satiety and fullness to the consumer, which often leads to disparity in energy consumption. The carbohydrate glucose has demonstrated effectiveness in promoting cognitive performance when administered in a solution form. Glucose has shown to improve a full spectrum of cognitive abilities including memory and long term recall. Additional research needs to be conducted to confirm the cognitive boosting abilities of glucose and the relationship between sweeteners and satiety.

Sports drinks are used by practically every professional athlete in every sport. All research done seems to support this use, indicating that sports drinks can increase performance while used during vigorous exercise. As long as these drinks are not consumed without exercise, they are very effective and healthy. Just as likely, perhaps energy drinks are not detrimental at all when taken in healthy amounts. Abuse of the drinks can be compared to abuse of any other over the counter medication or supplement, implying that if consumed in moderation, energy drinks may help in attention stimulation and speed of learning without any detrimental side effects. Much more knowledge of basic mechanisms of interaction between the ingredients found in energy drinks must be understood before the popular beverages can be branded as safe enjoyment beverages such as coffee, or unsafe, hazardous beverages that may cause potential long term side effects and death.

Just as likely, perhaps energy drinks are not detrimental at all when taken in healthy amounts. Abuse of the drinks can be compared to abuse of any other over the counter medication or supplement, implying that if consumed in moderation, energy drinks may help in attention stimulation and speed of learning without any detrimental side effects. Much more knowledge of basic mechanisms of interaction between the ingredients found in energy drinks must be understood before the popular beverages can be branded as safe enjoyment beverages such as coffee, or unsafe, hazardous beverages that may cause potential long term side effects and death.

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