Monsters: Healthy or Heart Attack in a Can?
Are energy drinks as safe as they seem? Usually we see the popular logos in extreme sports. Energy drinks seem harmless. However, when we make purchases, most of us never actually take the time to study what the product is made of or what is inside. For instance, if we did not get enough sleep or feel sluggish before a class or work, we stop at a convenience store and grab an energy drink to get through the day. It may taste good but what are the effects? Some might say “it has vitamins, that makes it healthy, right?” Energy drinks may have vitamins but they are also packed with sugar. Monster Energy drink have the most sugar out of all the top brands. So, what can happen if we consume Monsters regularly?
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In fact, millions of people intake caffeine for an extra boost. However, what those same people may not know is that too much caffeine can cause caffeine toxicity and can be life threatening. Caffeine toxicity is the intake of too much caffeine or an “overdose”. Caffeine can cause one’s heart and brain systems to constrict. It can also affect your heartbeat, causing it to beat irregularly. Guarana come from seeds from a South American tree, which has more concentrated caffeine than any other plant, this is a key ingredient in Monster Energy drinks. Energy drinks also contain taurine. Taurine slows the heart down and caffeine speeds it up which can be very dangerous and lead to heart failure. The Mayo Clinic insists that 500 mg should be the maximum amount of caffeine consumed daily by adults. However, Monster Energy drinks roughly have about 160 mg for every 16 ounces. Many people do not realize that if they partake in enough caffeine it could be harmful. After drinking a couple of cups of coffee, a soda, then drinking an energy drink all in one day, could put one at serious risk for heart problem or other serious conditions. Those conditions are as serious a loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, and
By this definition, and after knowing the effects of caffeine upon the human body, I have come to the conclusion that drinking caffeine is a sign of a lack of respect for oneself, and of an unappreciative attitude toward the life that each of us has been blessed with. Furthermore, it shows of either our inability, or unwillingness to learn to think clearly.
Monster beverages have always been, and still claim to be free of preservatives, caffeine, sodium, artificial flavors and colors. Although many people believe that all energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and are not healthy, the company’s mission statement which has not changed since Jan 5th, 2012 when the company changed its name, states otherwise.
Several people rely on caffeine to wake them up or give them a boost of energy when they feel down. Acting as a stimulant, caffeine not only improves concentration and focus, but also stops fatigue (Staff 1). Considered the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world, approximately 90 percent of adults consume it daily (“MedicineNet.com” 1). But do caffeine buyers really stop to evaluate the possinle harmful effects on their body? Health scares similar to this are not recent. In fact, they have been going on for over 100 years. In 1911, the US Government sued the Coca-Cola company for making their drinks hazardous to other’s health (Lovett 2). Although the Coca-Cola company won, it proves that people worry about what they put into their bodies, even if it does help them stay up to finish their homework. Not everybody will experience the same effects from caffeine. Some people seem more sensitive to caffeine than others (Staff 1). While some will express unwanted effects after only one cup of coffee or tea, others will not notice these same effects until after maybe four or five cups. Although caffeine does include benefits, many downfalls exemplify the stimulant as well. Drinking even small amounts of caffeine daily develops harmful effects on most people’s body and health.
Taddeo, Danielle, Johanne Harvey, and Ariane Boutine. "Health Hazards Related to Energy Drinks: Are We Looking for Them?" Academic Search Complete. EBSCO, Feb. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.
Monster Energy drinks are carefully crafted to appeal to athletes, musicians and today’s youth. It comes in a 16 ounce can that is sporty and colourful in comparison with other energy drink competitors. The product comes in a unique, glossy dark can that contains florescent green (or blue, red, yellow, purple) logo (claw marks in shape of an M) giving it an overall sleek and stylish look.
Based on the website cspinet.org which is the Center for Science in the Public Interest publish on June 25, 2014 said that in documents obtained from the Food and Drug Administration show that since 2004, a total of 33 deaths have now been linked to energy drinks. Of those, 22 deaths have been linked to 5-Hour Energy, 11 deaths have been linked to Monster, and one death, a first, has been linked to Rockstar
Beverages containing caffeine, sugar and niacin (vitamin B12) can lead to serious health problems. According to caffeine informer, one of them is cardiac arrest. While caffeine calculator can show limitation of energy drinks, everyone does not follow this rule. Those with heart problems are at the high risk to face cardiac arrest after only small amount energy drinks. Next are headaches and migraines, excessive energy drinks can lead to extreme headaches from the caffeine withdrawal syndrome. Changing the amount of caffeine people ingest daily causes more frequent headaches. A very high amount of sugar is responsible for damage the insulin producing cells of the pancreas which leads to type II diabetes. Excessive consumption of energy drinks can also lead to vomiting and thus, causing dehydration and acid abrasion of teeth and oesophagus. They can also lead to hypertension. For those with normal blood pressure, this is not affecting, but those with previously increased blood pressure could be leading themselves at risk of cerebral vascular stroke and other problems related to high blood pressure, after consuming high amount of energy drinks. The American Heart Association (2017) showed that energy drinks causes a significant negative effect on blood pressure than drinks that contain caffeine alone as the active ingredient. In addition, niacin is placed in most energy
Stroll into any high school or college and one will definitely find energy drinks. Energy drinks are served in tall cans with garish designs and slogans designed to catch the attention of children and teenagers. But what are they? Commercials will tell people that just by drinking them, they can stay up all night, ace a test, score with a girl, and be happy. Some have even said to give you superpowers. According to the advertising campaigns, energy drinks are equivalent to omnipotence in a can. But are energy drinks all they claim to be? The simple answer is no. Often energy drinks turn out to be more than just sugar and caffeine which makes energy drinks dangerous. Energy drinks cause negative side effects, such as heart problems and obesity in young americans, and therefore should have a legal drinking age of 18.
As the vast majority of Americans are addicted to caffeine, studies show that the effects during post-consumption, can be positive or negative depending on the amount and frequency of caffeine intake. As the demand for caffeine has increased, the caffeine industry has increased its amount of marketing and establishments to help aid this demand. Caffeine addiction can lead to serious health detriments and physiological detriments. It is evident that the primary reason for consumption of caffeinated beverages is due to positive effects, such as alertness. The media has an abundance of marketing to continue to illustrate this main effect. The media fails to project the negative effects of excessive caffeine intake. This literature review will illustrate how excessive caffeine consumption can be detrimental to one’s life, and how problematic caffeine use derives from conditioning by the caffeine industries.
The article “Caffeinated cocktails: energy drink consumption, high-risk drinking, and alcohol-related consequences among college students”, paints a good picture of the behaviors followed by drinking energy drinks and alcohol such as; heavy drinking, increased alcohol-related consequences, taking advantage of sexually, traveling with intoxicated drivers, getting injured or physically hurt, and those requiring medical attention. The second article “A survey of energy drink consumption patterns among college students” utilized a field research focus group of 32 to determine how much college students drink energy drinks, including the benefits and the health issues. The energy drinks Red Bull, Amp, Monster, Rock Star, Rip It, Full Throttle, and Cocaine, just to name a few, were created to give individuals a “jolt” of energy with a combination of stimulants or “energy boosters” that include caffeine. The article “Caffeinated cocktails: energy drink consumption, high-risk drinking, and alcohol-related consequences among college students” used a web-based survey including 4, 271 students from 10 universities in North Carolina, 8 public and 2 private.... ... middle of paper ...
Would you drink something that is associated with health problems and even death? Well energy drinks are highly caffeinated beverages that many people have become depended on to get through certain things that need done. They are used to give individuals a quick energy boost to get things done. Today many people question how safe energy drinks really are for the quick energy they supply. In fact, a sixteen year old girl died of cardiac arrest just after ingesting an energy drink, while on vacation with friends. Almost everyone who enjoys drinking energy drinks, knows that high levels of caffeine are in these beverages, and they continue to drink the ignoring the risks. But some people are fine with the high levels of caffeine and just drink them because it makes them feel energized. They seem to accept the shocking circumstances because it helps them gets things done when they need the most energy. On the other hand, some people disagree and think that it is not only bad for individuals
...In summation energy drinks can be good for a quick boost of energy. And over the years they have become increasingly popular. Many people should become more aware of the benefits and downfalls to drinking energy drinks. They should never down one before strenuous exercise or drink numerous amounts at a time. Energy drinks should never be mixed with alcohol due to the dangerous side affects that can occur. Energy drinks affect all people differently, but consumers should be more aware before drinking these products.
Scientists Ricardo Mora-Rodriguez and Jesus G Pallares executed a study observing the performance outcomes and side effects of energy drinks. They confirmed that due to their high carbohydrate concentration and lack of salts, energy drinks are not a good beverage choice when prolonged exercise in a warm environment is likely to require rehydration. They also found that ingestion of high doses of caffeine, although ergogenic, could result in negative side effects that could counteract the caffeine’s ergogenic effect. Even though energy drinks have the ability to increase a certain amount of energy, the energy would be short lived, due to lack of hydration. A similar study was performed by a team of scientists in Nepal. They tested on medical students at a Nepalese medical school. After the experiment, they concluded that energy drinks give energy and increase the stamina but they produce neurologic, psychiatric, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal complications on health. Certain students that participated in the study started to experience palpitation (increased or irregular heartbeat), nausea, constipation, and abdominal pain. These symptoms are just a few of the health risks that regularly consuming energy drinks can
Not exactly, caffeine still a drug which means almost always comes with side effects. Notably caffeine seems to have the same high as cocaine, just to a lesser degree. Some evident effects of caffeine and related stimulants range
Millions of Americans begin each day by consuming the most widely used drug in the United States: Caffeine. Over 90% of United States adults consume caffeinated food or beverages on a daily basis and over 50% take more than the recommended amount. Our innocent daily ritual can turn into an addiction for some because many do not realize that caffeine is even a drug let alone the effects it can have on their bodies. Its use it becoming more and more prominent in our society. It’s not uncommon to walk outside and see a Starbucks or coffee shop on each corner. Innovative foods are coming out infused with coffee, and energy drinks are being pushed at every angle. Caffeine to many is a necessity to wake up in the morning and for others to stay up all night. This is dangerous because people are not only becoming more and more dependent on coffee drinks and energy drinks but they are beginning to ingest more of it each day and are now mixing it with other drugs that can be life threatening. Proper knowledge is important when taking any drug including one that the FDA considers to be a safe multi-purpose food substance and education is the key.