Energy Drinks

A great source for nutrition and medical information is Mayo Clinic. Their on-line nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. answers tons of questions regarding health and nutrition.

“Energy drinks may give you a temporary energy boost. However, this “boost” — which may last as long as a few hours — typically results from the large amount of sugar and caffeine these drinks contain. (Sugar-free versions of many energy drinks still contain large amounts of caffeine.)

Although the various sugars used to sweeten energy drinks can briefly increase energy, consuming large quantities of sugar is likely to cause weight gain. Caffeine is a stimulant, which also can temporarily perk you up. But too much caffeine can cause adverse side effects, such as nervousness, irritability, increased blood pressure and insomnia. Caffeine can also make your heart beat faster and trigger abnormal heart rhythms, which is especially dangerous if you have any type of heart disease

If you’re consuming energy drinks because you’re frequently tired or run-down, consider a better — and healthier — way to boost your energy. Get adequate sleep, exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. These strategies not only will increase your energy in the short run, but also will help you maintain your overall physical and mental fitness in the long run.”

~Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D

It’s pretty crazy how much caffeine is in what we drink.  Mayo clinic also displays caffeine content for coffee, teas, sodas and more. Some of it is pretty surprising.

Coffee                                                                        Caffeine (milligrams)
Dunkin’ Donuts, brewed, 16 oz (480 mL)                   143-206
Starbucks Espresso, 1 oz (30 mL)                                   58-75
Starbucks Vanilla Latte, 16 oz (480 mL)                        150
Generic brewed, 8 oz (240 mL)                                      95-200
Generic instant or decaffeinated, 8 oz (240 mL)         2-12

Energy Drinks                             Caffeine (milligrams)
AMP, 8.4 oz (250 mL)                                 74
Enviga, 12 oz (355 mL)                               100
Full Throttle, 16 oz (480 mL)                    144
Monster Energy, 16 oz (480 mL)              160
No Fear, 8 oz (240 mL)                                83
Red Bull, 8.3 oz (250 mL)                            76
Rockstar, 8 oz (240 mL)                              80

Soft Drinks                                       Caffeine (milligrams)
7Up, regular or diet                                              0
Barq’s Root Beer, regular or diet                      23
Coca-Cola Cherry, classic, Zero or diet          35
Diet Coke and Diet Coke With Lime               47
Dr Pepper, regular or diet                              42-44
Mello Yello                                                            53
Mountain Dew Code Red, regular or diet      54
Sprite, regular or diet                                           0
Wild Cherry Pepsi, regular or diet                   38

Other                                                                               Caffeine (milligrams)
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar, 1.55 oz (43 g)                        9
Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate bar, 1.45 oz (41 g)        31

While many rely on that extra boost to get us through the day, it’s unhealthy to rely entirely on caffeinated beverages to keep on running. Once that caffeine kick dies off, your energy plummets with it.