Dr Whiting on The Dangers of Energy Drinks
January 14th, 2010 . by admin
Energy drinks have become increasingly popular in recent years. There are many brands on the market such as the 5-Hour Energy Drink, Rockstar Energy Drink, Burn Energy Drink, Full Throttle Energy Drink, Amp Energy Drink, Monster Energy Drink and others. Each contain caffeine and some have added stimulants such as guarana, an herbal form of more caffeine, as well as ginseng. Most of these drinks, in moderation, are probably relatively harmless for healthy people. However, when consumed to excess or by those with certain medical conditions, they can be very dangerous. Younger people, as young as 6 or 8 years old, are also consuming these drinks. In this age group the effects of caffeine are dramatically increased. Energy drinks, such as the 5-Hour Energy Drink, Rockstar Energy Drink, Burn Energy Drink, Full Throttle Energy Drink, Amp Energy Drink, Monster Energy Drink and others, are consumed primarily for the buzz or energy high that the caffeine and other stimulants can provide. Unfortunately, most of these drinks also produce a let down or crash, leaving the user to consume another drink to boost energy again. Repeated use or abuse of these highly charged caffeine drinks could lead to increased side effects. The harmful effects of caffeine, guarana, ginseng and other herbal extracts accelerate at potentially alarming rates when multiple doses of these drinks are consumed. People have been using caffeine in various forms, including Energy Drinks for a long time. What users dont often understand is that the boost of energy obtained from these drinks is temporary and that the crash can last a lot longer than the high. The side effects of energy drinks such as the 5-Hour Energy Drink, Rockstar Energy Drink, Burn Energy Drink, Full Throttle Energy Drink, Amp Energy Drink, Monster Energy Drink and others, can increase in those persons with certain other health challenges such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart conditions and other chronic disorders.
Caffeine can lower blood sugar in some individuals causing moderate to severe hypoglycemic episodes, which can be very disturbing and dangerous. If the drinks combine herbal stimulants with the caffeine, this can increase the potential blood sugar problems. Another factor to also consider is the often very high amounts of sugar in most of these energy drinks a factor that further complicates diabetes and hypoglycemia.
Individuals suffering from a variety of cardiovascular problems should use caution when consuming these energy drinks. Over stimulation of the central nervous system by caffeine, guarana, and ginseng can lead to a variety of arrhythmias, and other heart beat issues. Those with pacemakers also should be concerned. Another common practice among younger people is the combining of alcohol with their favorite energy drink. Alcohol is a downer and as such provides clear signs of when the consumer has had enough. By using the stimulating effects of energy drinks together with alcohol, the user can often drink far more and not be aware of their degree of intoxication. This can be dangerous for many reasons. If one wishes to use Energy Drinks, they should not combine these with alcoholic beverages of any kind.
Since both alcohol and caffeine are dehydrating agents, their combination can severely lower fluid levels in the body. If this is combined with dancing in a hot nightclub for example the dehydration can reach critical and deadly levels. There are many countries in Europe where high potency energy drinks such as the 5-Hour Energy Drink, Rockstar Energy Drink, Burn Energy Drink, Full Throttle Energy Drink, Amp Energy Drink, Monster Energy Drink and others have been banned completely. This was due to the fact that several athletes have died while exercising or training and using these energy drinks for sustained performance enhancement. Likely many of these fatalities were caused by severe dehydration.
Duration : 0:7:42
This is my personal testimony before the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC) in May 2008. It is a chartered committee that meets twice yearly, and provides recommendations to the Secretary of Health within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The committee consists of clinicians who specialize in the treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), often times referred to as Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), members of the CDC, the NIH, the SSA, and other federal government entities. I’ve been hesitant to post the clip because I was nervous, and feel I could have done a better job on my delivery, however I think the message is worth disseminating. In addition, “my story” is quite personal, but my intent was to garner the attention of the committee members, and try to put a young, male face to CFS.
Boost your metabolism with these healthy snack ideas. 
Meet Greg Penniston, a chiropractor and applied kinesiologist who has been in private practice in Tucson, Arizona for the past 23 years. Hear about his successes and experience with hundreds of patients getting noticeable relief from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and more with the use of Guaifenesin.