Physical Wellness

Energy Drinks May Have Health Risks; See What It Does To Your Body

By Samantha Goodwin | Update Date: Nov 29, 2016 10:00 AM EST

Energy drinks are generally consumed to give the body a boost of energy. However, a new study finds that these drinks may not be as harmless as one might have thought. Despite previous studies highlight the adverse health effects energy drinks have, it hasn't stopped people from guzzling down the canned beverage on a daily basis.

A new report, published by The Star highlights what energy drinks do to the body from 10 minutes to 12 hours after being consumed. Here's a detailed guide:

In the first ten minutes of consuming a can of an energy drink, the caffeine in the beverage infiltrates your bloodstream, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure.

The effects in the next 15 to 45 minutes depend on the speed at which you consume the beverage. If you drink it quickly, you start feeling more alert and concentrated around 15 minutes later. If you consume the drink slowly, the effects may take about 40 minutes to kick in.

30 to 40 minutes later, when the caffeine is completely absorbed by your body, your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. Owing to this, the adenosine receptors in the brain block drowsiness. Also, due to a burst of insulin the body, your liver turns any sugar it finds into fat.

An hour later, you'll experience a sugar crash and as the effects of caffeine begin to die down, you'll start feeling tired. As you urinate, all the water from the Red Bull, your body also loses valuable nutrients that are used to hydrate your system. It takes almost 5-6 hours post this to break the caffeine level in your body to half. Almost 12 hours later, all the caffeine from the drink gets removed from your blood stream. The removal speed depends on various factors, including activeness levels and age.

12 to 24 hours later, you begin experiencing withdrawal systems and start craving for another can of an energy drink. Studies have highlighted that 7-12 days later, you become tolerant to your regular caffeine dosage and the effects of an energy drink may not be as strong anymore.

A study in 2014 by researchers from the University of Michigan found that teenagers who consume energy drinks are more likely to use drugs and alcohol because these beverages give them the same "sensation-seeking or risk-oriented" feeling. A previous study also found that drinking an energy drink mixed with alcohol is riskier for health than drinking alcohol alone.

Many of the energy drinks available in the market these days are not safe, irrespective of what they claim. They contain high levels of caffeine. If these drinks are consumed incorrectly, it could lead to disturbed sleep and dehydration of the body. Experts recommend never to consuming energy drinks while exercising as the combination of all the stimulants and other ingredients in energy drinks can result in a loss of fluid from sweating and cause dehydration.

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