8+ Reasons Energy Drinks are Harmful to Your Health and 8 Simple Ways to Achieve Energy, Naturally

Energy drinks have been proven time and time again to negatively effect the way you and your body function!  Accidents, unprovoked attacks, seizures, addiction problems, psychosis, dehydration, death, and so much more have been reported when using energy drinks.

The evidence shows that any perks you gain from using energy drinks are seriously outweighed by the health risks!

Energy Drink Facts | Messing with Your Functions and Well-Being:

• Energy drinks can cause anything from slight to full on insomnia; missing out on sleep causes impaired motor function- which can be very dangerous for operating heavy machinery including your car.
• Caffeine is well known for bringing on anxiety; it can pump you full of jitters and nervousness, impairing your physical and mental functions.  Too much of it can even bring on full-blown panic attacks!
• There was a study done by the Mayo Clinic showing that one energy drink drastically increases your body’s release in stress hormones.
• Too many energy drinks are also bound to bring on withdrawals (from caffeine along with other ingredients) which include headaches, migraines, irritability, and more.
• Your blood pressure spikes from the use of energy drinks.  These beverages have actually caused cardiac arrest and well as other heart complications.
• From all the sugar in these drinks (generally, one can of an energy drink contains much more than the recommended average daily intake of sugar!) drinking them regularly can easily lead to type 2 diabetes.  Constant high blood sugar levels damage your nerves and blood vessels- eventually leading to heart disease and kidney issues.
• Caffeine, along with the other combined ingredients in energy drinks, are pretty darn addictive.  Not to mention that they have been shown to lead youths into other addictions and risky behavior.  Reports show that, under the influence of energy drinks, youths tend to find themselves involved in careless decision making such as drinking and driving.  Energy drinks are becoming a serious problem when it comes to the well-being and safety of our youths.
• One of the big effects of these drinks is dehydration (and not only from the vomiting!).  (Also, keep in mind that not keeping your body hydrated causes fatigue, pain, and inflammation.)  While energy drinks are dehydrating you, they simultaneously raise your body temperature.  Combining dehydration with high body temperature can cause a number of things including kidney failure, muscle breakdown, and heat stroke. 

Natural Energy Facts | Achieving Healthy Energy Levels, Simply:

There are so many ways to get out there and find your own energy!

• Take your vitamins!  Make sure to get the good, clean brands- like the stuff your chiropractor recommends.  You should be looking for your B vitamins and fish oils- just for starters!  Though, the doctors at Advanced Chiropractic Associates actually give you vitamin and nutrient recommendations tailored just to you.
• Speaking of vitamins, always remember that vitamin D!  That good-old sunshine is absolutely free.
• Aromatherapy.  Seriously, there are a lot of smells that pack a nice punch of energy!  Mint and citrus are some of the best.  My favorite is Lavender.  This scent has been widely recognized as a great relaxer, even a great sleepy smell.  In all reality it is a great aid for focus.  You can use Lavender to both relax as well as rebuild your energy levels!
• GET UP!  Stretch it out and walk around!  Really get that oxygen flowing through your body with some light exercise.  Everyone should be getting at the very least a half hour (really, more like an hour) of walking in every day.  *Double Whammy* This #4 is a great option to combine with #3, given the weather cooperates.
• Sing and tap along to music on your way to work!  This really is a proven fact- it gives you more energy for your day.
• Drink. More. Water.  Just because this is not on the top of this list does not mean it is less important than any one of these listed.  In all actuality, it is probably the most important.  Your body is made of water.  It needs the stuff to run right!
• Talk to people.  Not just anyone, talk to happy, energetic people!  The ones you can laugh with.  When you are around the right people you can build each other up and all walk away with more energy!
• Keep your nervous system and spine in check with proper posture, yoga, and chiropractic. Subluxation (a misalignment of the spine) oftentimes leads to fatigue and loss of energy- which can be a daily drag for you until the issue is addressed!

The doctors at Advanced Chiropractic are dedicated to your wellness.  Their passion is finding you your best course of action for healing and helping you stick to that- assisting you in that lifestyle transition that you are ready for.

Take the power of harnessing your own energy, naturally.  Contact your friendly Knoxville, TN chiropractors at Advanced Chiropractic Associates, today.

Advanced Chiropractic Associates, PLLC

7349 Chapman Hwy

Knoxville, TN 37920

865-579-6500

About the Author

Kali S. Garcia is a natural health enthusiast.  As the owner and author of Mama Tea Social, she feels compelled to heal and the cold hard facts.  Connect with her on Facebook.

References

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Alsene, Karen, et al. “Association Between A2a Receptor Gene Polymorphisms and Caffeine-Induced Anxiety.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 28, no. 9, 25 Sept. 2003, pp. 1694–1702., doi:10.1038/sj.npp.1300232.

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Hrustic, Alisa. “Here's What Energy Drinks Actually Do To Your Body.” Men's Health, Men's Health, 25 May 2018, www.menshealth.com/health/a19542947/energy-drink-health-effects/.

Menci, Daniele, et al. “Acute Effects of an Energy Drink on Myocardial Function Assessed by Conventional Echo-Doppler Analysis and by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography on Young Healthy Subjects.” Journal of Amino Acids, vol. 2013, no. 646703, 8 Sept. 2013, pp. 1–7., doi:10.1155/2013/646703.

Persad, Leeana Aarthi Bagwath. “Energy Drinks and the Neurophysiological Impact of Caffeine.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 5, 21 Oct. 2011, doi:10.3389/fnins.2011.00116.

“Sugar in Drinks.” Caffeine Informer, www.caffeineinformer.com/sugar-in-drinks.

Svatikova, Anna. “Cardiovascular Responses to Energy Drink Consumption in Adults.” JAMA Internal Medicine, American Medical Association, 17 Nov. 2015, jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2469194.

 “Top 14 Energy Drink Dangers.” Caffeine Informer, https://www.caffeineinformer.com/top-10-energy-drink-dangers.