Energy Drinks
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Energy Drinks English 210 Mrs. Maysa Banat
By: Mohamed Saleh 2006 0293 Maya Zeidan
Energy Drinks Table of Contents
I- Abstract .. .p 3 II- Introduction p 4 III- History .. ..p 5 IV- Disadvantages: - Short-time dangers of energy drinks ....p 7 V- Disadvantages: -Combining energy drinks with alcohol .. ..p 9 VI- Advantages: - Importance of energy drinks ... .p 10 VIIAdvantages: -The safe use of energy drinks p 11 VIII- Components of Energy Drinks..p 12 IX- Should Energy Drinks be used? ..p 14 X- Conclusion ..p 15 XI- Appendix ..p 17 Page | 2
Energy Drinks
XIISources .p 18 Page | 3
Abstract
This paper mainly discuss about energy drinks, what are they made off, where was the first energy drink found, and its undesirable effects on teenagers and elderly people. It also shows how dangerous an energy drink could be while being combined with alcohol. To always be on the safe side, this paper will also show the safe uses of an energy drink, when and how it should be drinking and it include some recipes to let everyone make his own healthy energy drink. And no matter how energy drinks are considered dangerous, it still are
Energy Drinks
important nowadays because everyone needs that extra boost to be able to accomplish his work or his practice perfectly.
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Energy Drinks
Introduction
Energy Drinks
An energy drink is simply just like any soft drink or beverage sold in convenience stores, grocery stores, and bars and nightclubs, but it differs in that is gives that extra boost of energy. Energy drinks are known for providing energy to improve physical and mental activity. They contain large amounts of caffeine and other legal stimulants like guarana, taurine and ginseng which are substitutes for energy found in normal food which is measured in calories. Energy drinks may contain as much as 80 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a cup of coffee. Compared to the 37 mg of caffeine in a Mountain Dew, 23 mg in a Coca-Cola Classic, it is quite a large amount of caffeine to be found in a drink thats mostly sold to consumers who arent above 30 years of age. Many of these different combinations of ingredients have not yet been tested for safety. For this reason, many energy drinks are banned in countries like Norway, Denmark and France. They are even banned in many sports leagues around the world. Page | 5
History
People used to see energy drinks and energy pills long ago only in fiction movies. This dream became real after the invention of energy drinks to become just like any other consumer product found everywhere. The first mass market energy drink dates all the way back to 1901! The Scottish drink Irn-Bru was the first recorded energy drink to enter the market. Irn-Bru which is commonly referred to as Iron Brew was brewed and marketed in Scotland.
Energy Drinks
The UK followed Scotland in 1929 with its own energy drink Lucozada Energy. It was first manufactured in 1927 by a Newcastle chemist, who experimented for several years to provide a source of energy for those who were sick with common illnesses, like the common cold or influenza. It became available throughout the United Kingdom for use in hospitals under the name Glucozade. This was changed to Lucozade in 1929. Lucozada Energy then was marketed as a medicinal beverage. It was not until decades later in the early 1980s that it was sold to reload energy. Japan began marketing its own series of energy drinks in the 1960s. Japans first energy drinks were not sold like soft drinks. Instead they were bottled in brown bottles more closely resembling medicine bottles. Japans first energy drink was Lipovitan which was first introduced as a medicinal tonic drink for those suffering from lack of energy and fatigue, it grew in popularity in Asia as part of a fad that had more to do with late party hours and clubbing. Energy drinks in Japan and South Korea are named genki-products. The 1980s saw a new name for energy drinks. The drink Jolt Cola was marketed as having twice the normal caffeine of any other soft drink. This increased caffeine aided the drinkers of Jolt Cola to stay awake, and was the cornerstone of the marketing strategy. Quick note Jolt Cola had the same amount of sugar as the other leading soft drinks of that time. Pepsi in the United States introduced Josta in 1995. Josta was Pepsis first energy drink, and lead the way for other major soft drink manufacturers in the energy drink market. Page | 6
Energy Drinks
Red Bull has long been a marketing leader in energy drinks. This energy drink was created and marketed by a very market savvy Austrian named Dietrich Mateshitz. The Red Bull energy drink was developed to resemble and is actually based on an energy product named Krateing Daeing. Krateing Daeing is manufactured and sold in Thai Wan with a fair amount of success. Interestingly enough this Thai beverage Krateing Daeing was developed to not only resemble but was also based on the original Japanese energy drink Lipovitan. Energy drinks are one of the fastest growing retail drink markets in the world. In 2001 energy drinks recorded sales of $8 million annually. Only 5 years later energy beverage sales grew to exceed $3 billion dollars annually. One of the interesting developments in the energy drink market was a new approach to marketing. This approach was in the form of a unique packaging of energy drinks initiated by the Snapple Corporation in 2002. They began producing and bottling there energy drinks in aluminum bottles shaped like bullets. One of the increased marketing benefits of these bullet shaped aluminum bottles was the fact that they are easily recycled. This adds appeal to those of us interested in recycling for the betterment of environment. Page | 7
Disadvantages: Short-time dangers of energy drinks
Energy Drinks
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Fig1: Heart affected by energy drinks
After all what is said about energy drinks, people would sometimes think of overdrinking this substance. It is a typical human mentality that if less is good, more must be better, and many people do not think that there can be too much of a good thing; it is common for people to forget that other side effects can occur from over consumption or consumption over a prolonged period of time. As Fact Expert once said, Energy drink overdose, as the in terms of causing death or serious immediate health problems, is very rare, but there are significant health concerns related to excessive use of energy drinks. Some stories of youngsters dying after drinking such drinks before sports games became popular lately. One of them is that of a young 18-yearold basketball player that died right after the match. He drank 3 cans of non alcoholic Energy drinks before the match. Children athletes arent recommended to drink energy drinks, they are supposed to get
Energy Drinks
all the energy they need from food they eat. Drinking water every 20 min of playing thus during breaks can replace energy drinks.
Page | 9 Usually people drink energy drinks to keep up their energy during periods of extreme physical activity or after exercise to satisfy thirst, but rather than re-hydrating their bodies, these drinks may actually lead to drying out. Health Canada reports some health symptoms of over drinking or mixing with alcohol that include:
Electrolyte disturbances; Nausea and vomiting; and Heart irregularities.
Another problem arises in the large amounts of caffeine found in energy drinks that may lead to sleep disturbances, headaches, irritability and nervousness. Over drinking means drinking more than 2 cans of energy drinks a day or more than 500 ml.
Disadvantages: Combination with alcohol
Many modern alcoholic drinks today are mixed with other drinks or put in cocktails. Here this mixing means that alcohol is reacting with whatever is mixed with it. In some cases there are some adverse side effects resulting from this mixing. Our main concern is the mixing of alcohol with energy drinks. This has become a widespread habit among
Energy Drinks
teenagers and whoever drinks alcohol. Scientists fear the final results obtained from the mixture of energy drinks and alcohol. Mixing powerful stimulants contained in some energy drinks with depressants in alcohol could cause cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular failures, said David Pearson, a researcher in the Human Performance Laboratory. "It is scary to think that these energy drinks are being used as a mixer with vodka and whiskey," he said. "You are just overloading the body with heavy stimulants and heavy depressants." Some of the disadvantages of this mixing is that when alcohol is mixed with energy drinks the person drinking this combination cant control himself and know how much alcohol he consumed and as is stated earlier excessive drinking of these drinks leads to dehydration. Page | 10
Advantages: - Importance of energy drinks
Energy Drinks
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Fig2: Energy drink as an example of a battery for humans
On the other hand, energy drinks if used safely can be a handy tool to gain some strength in certain cases such as driving at night, studying or working late, and waking up after a hard night. While driving at night, energy drinks can be a positive factor to prevent drivers from falling asleep and as a result saving the driver from a possible accident. Students can also use energy drinks as well as late workers to gain some strength to finish their work. However, energy drinks are not an alternative to healthy sleeping habits and may only be used as an assisting material to gain time rather than power. Moreover, energy drink can assist people to wake up after a hard night where they had to stay late, yet those cases should be rare and governed by importance.
Energy Drinks
Advantages: The safe use of energy drinks
Energy drinks should be used safely and responsibly. There are several dangers surrounding energy drink yet they can be used in reasonable and answerable manners. Energy drinks should be limited to rare doses. A can of an energy stimulant every once and a while when needed is equivalent to the use of a regular beverage. Moreover, energy drink should not be used regularly as an addiction habit can evolve.
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Fig3: Comparison to some other energy providing drinks
Energy Drinks
Components of Energy Drinks:
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Fig4: Components of Some Energy Drinks
Energy Drinks
Here is a detailed list of some common components found in most energy drinks and how each component affects the body. 1) Ephedrine - a stimulant that commonly found in weight-loss products and decongestants. There are studies raising concern and issues about its effects on the heart. 2) Taurine - a natural amino acid needed by the body to help regulate heart beat and muscle contractions. Currently, researchers are trying to discover its impact as an energy drink additive. 3) Ginseng - a kind of root thought to have several medicinal benefits. It is said that ginseng relives stress and can increase your level of energy. 4) Vitamin B - a group of vitamins that can change sugar to energy 5) Carnitine - an amino acid. Its effects can be mainly on the metabolism of fatty acids in the body. 6) Creatine - an organic acid which main contribution is on energizing the muscles for muscle contraction. 7) Inositol - a member of the vitamin B complex that helps relay messages within cells in the body. 8) Ginkgo biloba came from the seeds of the ginkgo biloba tree. There are studies claiming its memory enhancement capabilities. 9) Caffeine - Caffeine blocks certain brain chemicals in sending its messages to the brain. This brain chemical is called adenosine which is mainly involved in sleep. Thinking that the body is experiencing a problem, the pituitary gland releases adrenaline, which makes the
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Energy Drinks
heart beat faster, eyes dilate, and the liver to release extra amounts of sugar than normal.
Should Energy Drinks be used?
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Fig5: A sarcastic illustration showing energy drink mania
The legality of energy drinks is questionable and a deep debate around the use of energy drink emerges. Should energy drinks be used? The answer varies from one person to another. While energy drinks are hazardous to a very high instant, they can be a stimulant material that can boost some energy in certain cases when needed. It is in the same context when a race driver boosts up his engines to gain few horsepower out of his vehicle to win a race, yet this doesnt mean the driver doesnt maintain his vehicle an does not practice. So should they be legal? The legality of energy drinks are up to legislators. The use of energy drinks is the same as smoking cigarettes. It is a choice and people should take their choice aware of the dangers. After all,
Energy Drinks
with the safe and responsible use of energy drinks, they can beneficial as much as they are hazardous.
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Conclusion
At the end, no matter how energy drinks are considered dangerous while being combined with alcohol or even being excessively drunk it can also be important for some. So, these energy drinks can be that extra boost of energy you need at a certain time so you could be able to accomplish a certain work or activity. And for those who dont like to drink these energy drinks they can always find natural substitution for that such as caffeine and some different kinds of vegetable and fruits. So it is for you to choose the best, either buy these energy drinks from stores or make your own, but after all dont forget to make sure of the safe use of these energy drinks.
Energy Drinks
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Fig6: energy Drink Supplement facts
Energy Drinks
Appendix
Page | 18 Fig1: Heart affected by energy drinks ----------------------------------------p 7 Fig2: Energy drink as an example of a battery for humans ---------------p10 Fig3: Comparison to some other energy providing drinks ----------------p11 Fig4: Components of Some Energy Drinks ----------------------------------p12 Fig5: A sarcastic illustration showing energy drink man-------------------p14 Fig6: energy Drink Supplement facts ----------------------------------------p16
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Sources
http://www.extension.org/pages/Energy_Drinks:_History http://www.mupsip.com/history-energy-drinks.html http://www.energysip.com/index.html http://energydrinks.factexpert.com/897-energy-drink-overdose.php http://www.mupsip.com/energy-drinks-and-college.html http://www.healthkicker.com/706399934/energy-drinks-and-the-dangers/ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/11/011116065754.htm http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-03/ace-caa031906.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/83529.php http://hs.boisestate.edu/radar/materials/alcohol/drugupdate.pdf
