Are there side effects to consuming energy drinks?
Some factors that determine the effect that energy drinks (primarily caffeine) have on the human body include age, weight, caffeine tolerance, habituation and dose (Sökmen 2008). The high levels of caffeine found in energy drinks can cause nervousness, headaches, increased blood pressure and elevated heart rate. Of the energy drink users studied by Malinauskas et al. (2007), 29% experienced energy “jolts” followed by crash episodes, 22% experienced headaches and 19% reported heart palpitations. Sports beverages and energy drinks are definitely here to stay. The information presented here should be useful to fitness professionals in effectively educating clients who wish to make informed decisions regarding the appropriate use of these drinks.
