Energy Drink: Poison or Friend

By: William Hodges

Currently A growing issue on college campuses is the increased use of energy drinks in the student population. The promise that people will get more energy allowing them stay awake longer and focus is very appealing to college students as they tend to stay awake all night, not get enough sleep and require energy in order to get all of their work done. According to RedBull.com red bull should be taken “at times of increased mental and physical strain… or before tests and exams.” Although these benefits sound nice, the health risks that accompany the consumption of energy drinks are not good. A common ingredient that is found in energy drinks today is ephedra. According to Physician Kim Brown of Kaiser Permenente, “When ephedra is used in an energy drink mixed with caffeine, a lethal combination is produced, she describes it as ‘herbal speed’ saying that ‘one can become addicted and develop serious health issues from it.’ If someone has heart disease or hypertension, a caffeine/ephedra mix can cause heart attacks or stroke.”

College is already a time where kids deviate from healthy eating habits by stuffing themselves with excessive amounts of junk food. The combination of that and the consumption of energy drinks can lead to extreme health risks. According to energyfiend.com it would only take about 31 bottles of Rockstar Energy drink to kill a 150 pound person. Where it would take just about 300 Coke-A-Colas which has been thought to be unhealthy for years. Doctors recommend not drinking energy drinks but to try other things to get your work done. These include managing your time better, getting a good nights sleep, get proper nutrition, and in those occasions that you must stay up late to try and keep the energy drinks to a minimum.