It’s 8 a.m. and you just woke up from a night that went on too long. You think about skipping a lecture to catch a few more z’s, but it is an important class that you can’t just skip.
You grab an energy drink and make your way to class.
Now hypothetically, this is what most might imagine college students to be like — sleep-deprived kids who mope their way to class, living off of energy drinks to stay awake.
Whether you are sleeping in or living off a drink such as Red Bull, it is important to know what these drinks can do to your health. Disclaimer: they won’t actually give you wings.
Emily Pierce | Argonaut
Most of us have been told since we were little that energy drinks are bad. Yet, people drink them regularly.
One of the serious health risks Red Bull imposes is how addictive the drink is. University Health News states these drinks are highly addictive. The reason why these are so addictive is that people start to depend on them for an energy boost.
Not only are they addictive because people use them for an energy boost, but energy drinks also have a lot of caffeine in them, and caffeine can be very addictive.
Caffeine can be very harmful to heart health. In extreme cases, caffeine has caused the heart to stop, according to University Health News.
Energy drinks have been found to increase blood pressure to high rates. University Health News states that a 16 ounce can of Red Bull can increase blood pressure from 6.2 percent to 6.8 percent. These drinks also have the potential of increasing norepinephrine levels (responsible for cardiovascular activity) by 74 percent.
Research conducted and recorded by University Health New’s article says that changes in blood pressure and norepinephrine can lead to cardiovascular problems in the future.
Energy drinks can also be hurtful to heart, muscle and brain health.
There is a better way to get energy in the morning rather than energy drinks. Coffee and tea purpose a better solution with health benefits rather than risks. Coffee and (some) tea will still have caffeine, but they do not have as much as Red Bull. It is better to stick to the natural stuff and stay away from Red Bull and drinks like 5-Hour Energy.
Like everything in life, there is no problem with a little bit of indulging. Energy drinks are sold and it might seem impossible to not drink at least one from now until the time you pass. It is just really important to be aware of what energy drinks can do to you and your body. The fact that these drinks are highly addictive does more harm than good.
Because energy drinks affect our health more than we would like to think they do, think before you drink.
Emily Pearce can be reached at [email protected]
Rob Myers
"An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains between 80 and 200 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the varietal and brew method. An 8.4-ounce Red Bull can has 80 milligrams of caffeine. Red Bull also has Taurine, though. ... As long as Red Bull is drunk in moderation, Taurine likely isn't a health risk." - from google. A lot of coffee contains more caffeine than red bull, not less. Great reporting.