Awareness about the possible harmful effects of stamina drinks is slowly increasing. But one does not need to get paranoid and avoid all energy drinks altogether. A better way would be to find out all you can about energy drink ingredients so that you can take an informed decision.
These drinks typically contain stimulants, sweeteners, amino acids, antioxidants and other ingredients. The main factor is which ones are used for stamina, the quantity in which these are used and whether there are safe natural alternatives.
Stimulants: The common ones are caffeine, guarana, and yerba mate. Caffeine stimulates and wakes up the senses. It is present in quantities between 70 to 200 mg in coffee, Coke, Mountain Dew and most cola drinks. Too much of the stuff can impact the heart rate and blood pressure. It can also cause dehydration.
Next is guarana which is sourced from plants in South America. It certainly makes you more alert as it contains e theobromine and theophylline. Yerba mate is from the holly family and its leaves and stems are normally dried and brewed.
Sweeteners: Some manufacturers use natural sweeteners such as glucose and sucrose and others use artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, Splenda, aka. Sucralose and Acesulfame potassium, a low-calorie sweetener. Sugars extract energy from food but too much of it can lead to diabetes. The harmful side effects of artificial sweeteners are still the matter of hot debate.
Amino Acids: amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Taurine occurs naturally in humans. So, it ought not to be harmful. It would be useful only if your body is not producing adequate amounts. L-Carnitine, another amino acid is also created by the body and is useful for speeding up the metabolism and improving stamina levels.
It also helps you to reduce your weight and improve your physical endurance limit. B-Group Vitamins: B vitamins convert food into strength. Vitamins B-6, B-1, B-2 also help to increase stamina levels.
Other Ingredients: There are a host of other ingredients that are used. Some of these are Ginseng which helps improve energy, reduce fatigue, relieve stress and increase memory. Ginkgo Biloba is also believed to help improve the memory and concentration and the German government has found it useful as an anti-depressant.
Glucuronolactone DGL is yet another item produced by your body. It is said to have a detoxifying. Creatine is naturally obtained by eating meat and supplies energy to the muscles. Milk Thistle which is one of the ingredients in Rockstar and other drinks does not enhance energy but acts as a counter agent when energy drinks are mixed with alcohol.
One other drink that comes to mind is Crave Energy, a newly developed product that contains a balanced list of ingredients. Its caffeine content is relatively low, less than that in a cup of coffee. It uses natural sugars but only less than one gram per serving. And it contains only 9 calories. So, its good news all around. To conclude, these drinks are not harmful. But it is always wise to check what you are ingesting. So start reading carefully and find out all you can about these energy drink ingredients that you are planning to take in.
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