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Stress & Energy Management

Do You Want An Energy Drink.......Or A Dangerous Stimulant?

Below is an article excerpt that emphasizes the potential dangers, and the lack of actual benefits of general energy drinks...

Many people, especially athletes, rely on energy drinks to try to combat fatigue or general lack of daytime energy, or to try to boost performance. Even shift workers rely on them in order to remain awake! But what are they actually doing to the body and are there any more positive and effective alternatives?

Energy drinks are essentially labeled for marketing purposes. This label is incorrect. Energy drinks don't actually 'energize' the body. What they actually do is just temporarily 'stimulate'.

Research shows that ...beyond a brief caffeine high, there are actually no health benefits to energy drinks. In fact, the combination of different chemicals is likely to do more harm than good, especially for children.

Some of the unwelcome side effects of the drinks include elevated heart rates, hypertension, anxiety, headaches and interrupted sleep patterns. A recent study by the University of Miami suggests even more serious outcomes, such as heart palpitations, strokes and sudden death.

So what is actually going on when these drinks enter the body?...

Firstly, energy drinks rely on caffeine and sugar to cause the temporary rise in energy. Generally they tend to have between 3-5 times more caffeine than regular fizzy drinks in order to achieve this.

They also include a number of known stimulants, termed as natural blends, including taurine, guarana, creatine and B-vitamins. Now, these are all fine if taken in an appropriate way and in an appropriate dosage, but within energy drinks they are not dosed, and not in a format that the body can interpret adequately. This can cause stress on the system, temporarily releasing adrenalin and seen outwardly as a 'hit of energy. Long-term underneath however this is causing strain on many vital organs and systems. Continued stress in this way can damage those organs.

If you need a boost in energy, it is better to encourage the body to do this itself, long-term, on a daily basis. Our Natural Energy supplement can help to do this, along with our Total Balance for systemic and amino acid balance. Along with an improved diet filled with energy foods, increased pure fluids such as pure water, and whole blends of vegetables, this should be all you need. If you do need more eating bananas can give a good temporary lift to the system, from the natural potassium that they contain. This is why many tennis players eat bananas during their breaks on play.

Joanna

 

Ref:

Opinion: Energy Drinks Don't Energize, They Stimulize -- and Can Kill You

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