Need a kick? Grab an Energy Drink

Energy drinks are beverages which contain large doses of caffeine and other legal stimulants like guarana and ginseng. They can contain as much as 80 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a cup of coffee. People drink them to keep up their energy during periods of intense physical activity or drink them after exercise to quench their thirst. So let's talk about what ingredients they may add to the drink and why.

Caffeine: This is a legal drug stimulant which incites the central nervous system to keep individuals lively and less dozy.

Guarana: It is nervous system stimulant which originated from seeds of a plant from Brazil.

Taurine: An ingredient that is commonly used in energy drinks is a substance which helps avert blindness to people. It can also put off some types of heart diseases.

Inositol: This type of energy drink ingredient is part of the vitamin B complex family. Studies show that inositol is engaged in the separation of fats in our body. Additionally, it reduces cholesterol in the blood.

Maltodextrin: This energy drink ingredient comes from a set of carbohydrates which is formed from corn starch. Maltodextrin is commonly utilized as a food preservative.

Creatine: It is an organic acid which helps provide energy to the muscles in our cells. Studies show that adding creatine to supplements or taking creatine per se heightens an individual's performance. This is true to anaerobic exercises. However it does not prove any increased performance level on aerobic exercises.

Carnitine: This type of ingredient is responsible for turning fats into energy. Aside from being an energy drink ingredient, you can find carnitine on foods rich in protein such as meat, fish and poultry products.

Glucuronolactone: Glucuronolactone is a chemical compound which is biologically responsible for fighting exhaustion. Moreover, it is also believed to give individuals a sense of well-being.

There are different brands of energy drinks available in the market such as Red Bull, Impulse, Dark Dog, the list is endless. Currently, only Red Bull Energy Drink is authorized for sale as a natural health product and bears a natural health product number (NPN). "Energy drinks" should not be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade or Powerade, which re-hydrate the body. These sports drinks also provide sugars, which the body burns to create energy and replenish electrolytes. If you engage in intense physical activity or exercise, drink enough water to help re-hydrate your system.

Energy drinks' stimulating properties can boost the heart rate and blood pressure, dehydrate the body, and, like other stimulants, prevents sleep. Most, if not all energy drinks list their ingredients on their labels and here they also list the concentrations of each of the ingredients so that consumers know what it is exactly that they are taking. Then, it is up to you!

(Sources: brown.edu, hc-sc.gc.ca, ezinearticles.com)