Inspira Health Network, Inc.

SPR 2016

Spirit of Women magazine is a national publication presented to women by hospitals and their physicians. The magazine provides up-to-date, evidence-based healthcare information and promotes our hospitals as leaders in women's health excellence.

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2 9 w w w. s p i r i t o f w o m e n . c o m S P R I N G 2 016 S P I R I T O F W O M E N SHUTTERSTOCK S H A R I N G H E A L T H S E C R E T S S h a r i n g Secrets HEALTH To send a health question to "Sharing Health Secrets," please e-mail plawrence@spiritofwomen.com or write to Sharing Health Secrets, Spirit of Women, 2424 North Federal Highway, Suite 100, Boca Raton, FL 33431. The heaping helpings of caffeine and sugar in most energy drinks may boost your energy level, but these beverages will never be mistaken for nutrition powerhouses. And because energy drinks are marketed as dietary supplements, they're not regulated in the same way as foods and beverages. That means energy drinks don't have to list their caffeine content on the label, so it's not always easy to track how much caffeine you're consuming, says Jodie Orwig, a registered dietitian and clinical nutrition manager with Holy Spirit—A Geisinger Affliate in Camp Hill, Pa. "When we're dealing with caffeine content in sodas, there's a limit to how much can be in there," says Orwig. "With energy drinks, there's no limitation required." A: The real truth about energy drinks Energy drinks seem like a healthier pick-me-up than soda or coffee, but are they really? Q: A: Q: What's so bad about using caffeine for energy as long as you don't get too much? Heart palpitations, shortness of breath and nausea are just a few of the possible side effects from the higher doses of caffeine in energy drinks, says Orwig, in addition to disrupted sleep patterns. "From a cardiac standpoint, caffeine is defnitely not a benign substance," she says. A: Q: I've heard that energy drinks can help me do a longer and better workout—is that true? "I recommend against energy drinks for working out," says Dr. Janna Vilen, a family practice physician with a fellowship in sports medicine at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, Crosby, Minn. There are no long-term studies on the benefts of caffeine-containing energy drinks on athletic performance, she adds, and you will be consuming more calories than your body needs. Instead, drink water during a moderate workout and try chocolate milk as a "recovery drink" afterward to replenish sugar in your muscles and then begin rebuilding them. A: Q: Could there be enough caffeine in energy drinks to be dangerous? If you're chugging energy drinks all day long, you could be overindulging in caffeine. "The average adult consumes 200 mg [of caffeine] a day, and toxicity can be around 400 to 500 mg a day," says Orwig. "But you can get over 300 mg of caffeine in a 32-ounce energy drink." Orwig recommends paying attention to energy drink serving size to keep your caffeine intake within safe ranges: "A 32-ounce beverage really contains four servings," she says. "But because it's a can or a bottle that's not resealable, the assumption is there's just one serving here and I really should consume the whole thing." s i b i m s

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