Quick Fix or Potential Hazard: Energy Drink Awareness Published April 11, 2011 By Maj. Stacy Benedict Aerospace and Operational Physiology TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Not getting enough sleep? Fatigued on a regular basis? Feel like you have no energy? To offset this, many individuals resort to caffeine, supplements, and energy drinks...which can be hazardous to your health. Energy drinks typically contain high amounts of caffeine and other ingredients such as ginseng, taurine, ginkgo biloba, milk thistle, and glucuronolactone. Since exploding on the beverage scene in 1997, more than 1,000 different brands exist within the roughly $1 billion industry. Product Claims... Popular energy drinks boast that they promise a better party or a rush. Some even go as far as to say you will have superhuman vigor. The Truth... The energized feeling being sought is temporary in nature. There are significant risks associated with using these drinks as well as negative side effects thereafter. Energy drinks are not an adequate substitute for proper sleep, exercise, nutrition and diet. Dangers of mixing alcohol and energy drinks... Most people use such combinations for the perceived energy boost or claims of combating hangovers. However, doctors say mixing large doses of caffeine with alcohol can be dangerous. The high levels of caffeine involved can boost heart rate and blood pressure, causing palpitations, according to National Institute of Health. Mixing energy drinks with alcohol further increases the risk of heart rhythm problems and false perceptions of being less impaired by alcohol due to stimulant effects...possibly causing pre-existing medical conditions to worsen or causing severe reactions. The combination of the two substances also increases the risks of seizures. At the same time, alcohol dehydrates the body, which is one of the reasons for a hangover to occur. Dehydration occurs because alcohol, caffeine, and other similar substances found within energy drinks cause the body to lose water. According to research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, individuals that mix alcohol with caffeinated energy drinks are at higher risk for alcohol-related injuries than those who drink regular cocktails. Researchers found that those who drank the energy cocktails were twice as likely to be hurt or injured, twice as likely to require medical attention, and twice as likely to ride with an intoxicated driver. The study also found those who drank alcohol mixed with energy drinks were more than twice as likely to take advantage of someone else sexually and almost twice as likely to be taken advantage of. Within Sports... The National Collegiate Athletic Association and some professional sports leagues have banned such stimulants. Some doctors and medical experts say energy drinks could actually hinder an athlete's performance due to dehydration effects in the body, increased blood pressure, and degrade ability due to restlessness and irritability. Human Performance Suffers... From a human performance perspective, a high level of caffeine intake is unhealthy. It increases blood pressure and can lead to dehydration. Other ingredients found within energy drinks are chemically similar to caffeine and produce identical effects. After the temporary boost dissipates, typical side effects such as headaches, jitters, stomachaches, nausea, and lethargy are usually encountered. In addition, the dehydration associated with caffeine contributes to a rapid onset of fatigue...up to 50 percent faster. Furthermore, the temporary boost associated with caffeine can mask fatigue and hangover symptoms, degrade situational awareness, and could result in possible substance addiction. Medical Concerns... The increased amounts of caffeine in energy drinks could contribute to a heart arrhythmia...encountered three times at Tyndall Air Force Base over the past year. This is a potentially fatal heart condition of either a rapid or irregular heart beat that has been similarly linked to cocaine deaths. The potential for serious side effects when mixed with over the counter or prescribed medication creates an added threat. In addition, excessive amounts of energy drinks have been associated with manic episodes, seizures, chest pain, heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. Seizures and potentially fatal side effects such as liver failure associated with kava-kava use and heart dysfunction is associated with ephedra which are other stimulants used in energy drinks. Awareness... United States Air Force training units (Basic Military Training, Officer Training School, Airman Leadership School, etc...) have strongly recommended that trainees not use substances labeled for energy, energy boost, alertness, body enhancement, or weight loss. A review of Air Force trainee deaths has shown that many of those that died had utilized at least one of these types of substances within hours prior to their death. The Real Cure... There is no quick fix that currently exists for fatigue. The consumption of caffeine, supplements, and energy drinks comes with a price, in the form of negative, harmful, or potentially deadly side effects. The true remedy for daily fatigue and lack of energy is to acquire proper rest each night (seven to eight hours of sleep), adequate daily nutrition, frequent and regular exercise, and maintaining proper hydration during exercise and throughout the day.