Do you really need energy drinks?

Some take energy drinks regularly believing it helps boost their energy. However, aside the temporal relief or seeming boost they give soon after drinking them, experts do not think it is good to take them.

In fact they believe energy drinks have some health implications.

“Energy drinks are useless,” says Dr Onye Achilihu, a cardio vascular specialist, “What energy do you get from them? They contain things that irritate your heart.”

Another health expert, Dr Katherine Zeratsky says most energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, which can provide a temporary energy boost. “Some energy drinks contain sugar and other substances. The boost is short-lived, however, and may be accompanied by other problems,” she said.

She said for example, energy drinks that contain sugar may contribute to weight gain - and too much caffeine, or caffeine-like substances, can lead to nervousness, irritability, insomnia, rapid heartbeat and increased blood pressure.

Zeratsky says mixing energy drinks with alcohol may be even more problematic. “Energy drinks can blunt the feeling of intoxication, which may lead to heavier drinking and alcoholrelated injuries,” she adds.

Also research presented during a previous American Heart Association meeting revealed that drinking one to three energy drinks could affect with your heart rhythm and increase your blood pressure and if severe enough could lead to an irregular heartbeat or even sudden cardiac death.

Spokesperson of the group, Gordon F. Tomaselli, M.D., said those with an existing heart condition or a family history of heart problems, like an irregular heartbeat, should avoid drinking energy drinks.

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