Feeling sluggish? A hit of Red Bull or similar energy drink will solve that, because as the ad campaign says, “it gives you wings.” Of course with as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and a quarter cup of sugar it is no doubt that a can of an energy drink will get the motors running.
According a recent study from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston the drinks can be a problem, and mixed with alcohol can be dangerous or even lethal. Well the sound of a cup of coffee with sugar isn’t a big deal, how many people drink cup after cup after cup of coffee? That’s part of the equation; the other apart is what the combination of herbs and vitamins can do, especially when mixed with concentrations of caffeine. Probably something like a racing heart, hypertension and anxiety, as well as headaches and even problems sleeping. One thing the energy drinks don’t do is actually give you wings.
WebMD even suggested that drinking energy drinks daily, or even on a weekly basis could increase one’s risk of developing alcohol problems. According to the story:
“In the new study of more than 1,000 college students, people who drank energy beverages 52 or more times a year were more than twice as likely as non-users to meet criteria for alcohol dependence.”
The other issue, notes FoxNews.com, is that “the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires on the caffeine content of soft drinks – 71 milligrams per 12-ounce can – does not apply to them, so they often contain amounts that can be dangerous for children and adults with certain medical conditions.”
Likewise, when mixed with alcohol the energy drinks can provide a sort of “wide awake drunkenness.” That doesn’t sound like it would give wings, but it could make you feel as if you do!
[Via WebMD: Energy Drinks May Raise Risk for Alcohol Problems]
[Via FoxNews.com: Energy Drinks: Unregulated and Out of Control?]