The effect of caffeine and taurine in energy drinks

Energy drinks often contain caffeine and taurine to help people drink awake. However, if overdose, these two substances have a negative impact on human health.

often advertised to help drinkers feel refreshed, alert and energetic. However, this feeling is often created by the amount and high sugar in this drink. Occasional use of energy drinks does not affect health, but taking large amounts of alcohol over a long period of time has been linked to many diseases, from blood pressure to cardiovascular disease.

Energy drinks are sold and widely used in many countries.(Photo: Cosmopolitan).

A sense of alertness is due to caffeine

Caffeine is a natural substance found in plants such as coffee beans and tea leaves. This substance can also be artificially synthesized and added to products. The human body does not need caffeine - the substance has no nutritional value. However, this substance has the ability to stimulate the central nervous system and create a sense of alertness, escaping fatigue in a short time.

Caffeine can cause side effects such as increased heart rate, anxiety, sadness, sleep disturbance, irritability and tremor. When used at low levels, you may feel more energetic and alert, but over time, taking too much caffeine can cause symptoms like withdrawal when not in use.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), caffeine levels of about 400 mg a day are safe for healthy adults. This amount of caffeine is equivalent to 4 cups of coffee or a can of energy drinks. Australia limits the amount of tight caffeine in gas and energy drinks. In addition, food or drinks containing caffeine must have clear notice on the label.

Due to its ability to stimulate the CNS, increase heart rate and blood circulation, caffeine has the ability to temporarily make you feel alert and energetic. This substance can prevent adenosine from working, reducing fatigue, helping users work longer.

Moderate caffeine intake does not affect the health of normal adults, especially those with a healthy diet and exercise regime.(Photo: Theloop).

The amount of caffeine in energy drinks ranges from 6 to 250mg. However, in addition to caffeine, energy drinks have many other ingredients, such as sugar, taurine, vitamin B .

Is Taurine harmful?

Taurine is a free amino acid found in food and produced in the human body, can be fully supplemented only through diet. The body makes taurine during exercise or stress. Therefore, this substance is often used in energy drinks.

In its natural form, taurine has a positive effect on the cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems. This substance is able to reduce the symptoms of anxiety caused by caffeine. Some researchers suggest that this may make drinkers feel unsatisfied due to lack of adrenaline from energy drinks, making them continue to drink more and exceed caffeine limits.

Researchers at Weill Cornell College of Medicine (New York, USA) said taurine may be the reason why drinkers feel more tired after the awakening period of tonic water passes. To date, very few studies have shown specifically about the amount of taurine from drinks that can be transmitted to the brain, or how the interaction between caffeine and taurine affects the body.

One concern is that young people have a tendency to mix energy drinks with alcohol. The amount of taurine loaded into the body should only be about 100-500mg a day, and a common can of energy drinks has about 1,000 mg of taurine synthesized. Some people drink up to 8 cans a day, equivalent to 8,000mg of taurine, causing the same phenomenon as using painkillers. Mixing this substance with alcohol risks harming the body.

Limit the use of energy drinks

According to a study by Mayo Chinic (USA), energy drinks can increase blood pressure, create stress hormones and make a user at risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics insists that children or teens should not drink energy drinks. People with heart problems should also avoid this drink.

Many teenagers have a habit of drinking energy drinks daily.This causes many consequences for health.(Photo: Maclean's).

Of course, for normal healthy people, sometimes taking energy drinks does not have much impact on health. However, if you are in a situation where you really need to drink, you should choose sugar free and have low caffeine content.

Instead of relying on energy drinks or caffeine-containing drinks to stay awake, get enough sleep, replenish water, maintain a high-calorie diet and exercise regularly. You can also choose natural caffeine sources like coffee or green tea to temporarily get rid of sleepiness when needed.