A highschooler’s life is filled with stress, academics, homework and very little sleep. A new trend of consuming energy drinks has emerged among these stressed high schoolers, some of which can be found at NDB.
Brands such as Celcius, Prime, Monster and Alani Nu have recently made their way into student’s backpacks. What sets these brands apart from others are their colorful packaging and array of flavors which attract teenagers. Teens also have easy access to these drinks, as they are found in every drugstore, convenience and grocery store.
“I drink energy drinks before volleyball tournaments because I usually have to wake up really early in the morning and I like the taste better than coffee. So, I just wake up at 6am, chug a quick energy drink and I’m ready for my games.” says freshman, Grace Enfield.
While having one energy drink per day is a good way to boost your energy, consistently drinking two or more a day can potentially lead to many health problems. According to UTHealthHouston, it is best to limit teenagers from the ages of 12-17 from consuming over 100 mg of caffeine a day. One energy drink can have 80-250 mg of caffeine in it, so it is wise to only drink one every 24 hours. In one Alani Nu drink alone, there is 200mg of caffeine.
Some health concerns that are put at risk when going over the limit of one energy drink per day include an increased likelihood of developing diabetes, heart problems, liver disease and digestive upset, as stated by The National Library of Medicine. Even though these drinks help give consumers the energy needed to get through the day, the drinks can also disrupt sleep patterns by keeping users up for long amounts of time due to caffeine spikes.
“Excessive energy drink consumption may disrupt teens’ sleep patterns and may be associated with increased risk-taking behavior.” says National Center For Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Not only can energy drink consumption cause health issues, it can also cause acne. Eternal Dermatology and Aesthetics says, “Energy drinks have inflammatory and glycemic index-loading sugar, along with skin-irritating B vitamins. As such, those with a history of acne are more prone to have an acne flare-up after energy drinks.” Caffeine can dry up the skin as well, leading to flaky and dehydrated skin.
Energy drinks are popular, but it is important to control the intake of them as they can potentially create health and wellness concerns.
