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HEALTH
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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."
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