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The Fastest Growing Drink In America

December 14 2012

The Fastest Growing Drink In America
By: Debra Meszaros
Body Performance Coach- ClubMX
www.MXSportsNutrition.com

What could the fastest growing drink in America be telling us?

It seems the trend in sales of this beverage correlates with the increased amount of people having difficulties with focus, alertness, and fatigue. People lack energy.

Energy drinks promise energy, and many do reach their goal; but what are you really sacrificing, for that temporary burst of energy?

Not all energy drinks are created equal. It is very important to your health to understand the differences between ingredients that are normally contained in these popular beverages. Some ingredients can cause significant side effects, some that will go unnoticed until the day they develop into a dysfunction or condition that then manifests physically.

Our first step is to pay very close attention to serving sizes listed on the label, often there are multiple servings per bottle, can, or shot. You must consider this when consuming the product as drinking the whole bottle may very well place you in a danger zone with certain ingredients.

What are the good and bad ingredients?

Even though there are many different energy drinks on the market, there are really only a handful of ingredients utilized in each formulation. We’ll start off the bad list with caffeine. These beverages can contain anywhere from 80 to 500 mg of caffeine per serving. Keep in mind a general safe dose of caffeine is 200mg per day. Even if one was to keep intake in the “safe” range, caffeine is addictive, dehydrates the body {making it a very bad choice for an athlete} and for individuals like women in menopause or with hypothyroidism, caffeine will very likely effect hormone levels in the body. Over 200mg per day can cause blood pressure to spike, cause insomnia, palpitations, and contribute to kidney stone formation. The body will also build some tolerance to caffeine and then you’ll require even more of it to get the same effect. Another ingredient found in these drinks is Guarana, a fruit native to the Amazon. It has twice the caffeine of a coffee bean. Sugar is our second bad ingredient on our list. It is not uncommon to see a single serving of an energy drink to contain 14 teaspoons of sugar, twice the safe daily range! Sugar will give you an energy boost as it spikes your blood glucose levels, stressing your pancreas, liver, and kidneys, while contributing to weight gain. Continued use is sugar abuse, which is a major component to just about every disease and dysfunction known to man.

Most drinks contain B Vitamins. Why? Since most individuals are facing stressful situations daily, their body’s requirements for the vitamin B group rises. If you are deficient in B vitamins, you will get an energy boost from drinks containing them. B Vitamins are water soluble, meaning they do not collect in the body; our bodies will urinate any excess it does not need, with exception to B3 and B6. One still needs to be careful about how much is contained in each serving, as continued excess can upset the stomach and stress the liver.

Why are we feeling fatigued to begin with?

You may very well be able to maintain your energy and focus by simply examining your dietary habits. Do you drink coffee? Consume more sugar, and simple carbohydrates then you should? Do you not manage stress well? Do you practice vitamin supplementation? Explore your options and take control over your energy, safely!



©2012 Debra Meszaros MXSportsNutrition.com. All rights reserved; no duplication without permission.
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