If you are looking for ways to get energized, you might want to think twice about opening a can of an energy drink. According to the experts, excessive amount of these beverages can be very harmful for your health. They can be detrimental not only to your heart, but also to your teeth. If you're not convince why you should ditch them, read on.
1. According to Ted Epperly, M.D., president and CEO of Family Medicine Residency of Idaho in Boise, ID, energy drink contain caffeine that gives your body the adrenaline rush that lasts for two to three hours.
"Think of caffeine like an agitator in a crowd-it increases nerve irritability and firing rates," he says.
While you get some benefits from caffeine as it makes you more alert, it can also cause you anxiety.
2. They are high in sugar.
"45 percent of men will drink one energy drink per day and 14 percent will drink up to three per day," says Epperly.
When your blood sugar spikes, it can make your body store more fat, thus make you overweight or obese in the long run.
3. They can cause serious damage to your teeth. The sugar that these energy drinks contain can attack your tooth enamel and increase your risk of tooth decay. The sugar content is not the only thing to be blamed, sports drinks are highly acidic too. They even have higher acid content compared to coffee.
4. They can sabotage your sleep. How these energy drinks rev you up can deprive you of a good quality sleep.
"Because of the stimulating effect on neurons, energy drinks are absolutely going to keep you awake and alert and decrease sleep," says Epperly.
If you drink a lot of these especially in the afternoon or early evening, you'll find it more difficult to sleep.
