Consumption of energy drinks is a daily routine for a significant percentage of the world’s population particularly the young people and part of the working class individuals. Consumers consider them to be just energy facilitators to help them cope with some of the day’s robust activities. One cross-sectional study conducted in Pakistan on young adults confirmed that consumers only drink the beverages, but they are not aware of their side effects (Murtaza, et al. 445). However, recent studies conducted to establish the consequences of energy drinks’ consumption have revealed that the stimulants have adverse effects on the health, emotions, and behaviors of the consumers. The studies, which involved different researchers and participants, gave coherent conclusions that the energy drinks are not recommendable beverages and stimulants. Some of the impacts of regular consumption include sleep deficiency, high blood pressure, and tiredness. Also, there is decreased appetite among some individuals and memory complications among other effects. The following report is aimed at conducting a meta-review of various studies’ data on the effects of energy drinks on the consumers to give a supported conclusion that the stimulants are not recommendable for consumption.
First, several studies have concluded that regular consumption of energy drinks lead to sleep deficiencies followed by persistent tiredness the next day. The participants in the researches complained of lack of enough sleep when they consumed the intoxicating beverages. Further, they confessed feeling tired the following day due to the long night experience. Patrick et al were involved in an online study with 667 students’ participants of which the results obtained after 56 days affirmed that the individuals sleeping behaviors were affected by the energy drinks they had consumed (92). Additionally, the data collected consisted of regular complaints by the students feeling tiredness the next day after a sleepless night. Another study that reaffirms this motion was conducted at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia and comprised of 414 students both males and females (Al, et al. 8485). 95% of the participants unusually experienced few sleeping hours after they consumed the intoxicating beverages. By this, it is precise that energizers are unsuitable primarily for individuals who need to accomplish a lot of things in a day. Also, some are required to be active and attentive including students to enhance their capabilities of achieving their academic goals. Hence, not only does the energy drinks affect the consumers’ health due to sleep deficiency but it also affects their performance in their daily activities.
Second, energizers have adverse effects on the consumers’ blood pressure. They can lead to risky hypertension affecting the emotional health of the consumer considering that the issue prolongs for many hours before it neutralizes. The psychological stress might affect a person’s behaviors negatively and can lead to unanticipated outcomes including physical and emotional conflicts. Additionally, the condition can be worse on people that have heart complications since it can have undesirable consequences such as cardiac arrest that might lead to the death. According to Dr. Pankaj Naram, there are a lot of naturally stimulating drinks and food that people can substitute the processed energizers to mitigate the undesirable negative consequences of the latter (PR). Moreover, caffeine is also stimulant if taken in the right amounts and does not affect the consumer’s health negatively. Therefore, the consumers being affected by the energy drinks are only required to establish the appropriate foods or beverages that serve a similar purpose as the manufactured energizers, and by doing so, they are guaranteed of immunity from health complications like high blood pressure.
Finally, a person’s emotions and behaviors can be affected by regular consumption of the processed energizers. People who frequently consume energy drinks react and behave differently compared to when they haven’t drunk them. Evidently, studies indicate that adolescents that are regular consumers of the manufactured stimulants usually have negative behaviors and experiences at home and school (Holubcikova, et al. 602). Some of the behaviors include lack of attentiveness in classes and unnecessary fights with fellow students due to the psychological complications influenced by hypertension and sleep deficiency. Moreover, conditions such as augmented blood pressure and inadequate sleep place the users in health risks. Other behavioral changes include increased substance use since when one lacks sleep is motivated to consume other things such as alcohol in large amounts (Larson, et al. 2799). Young people are unable to concentrate on important activities since they are more concentrated on other things including video games.
In conclusion, people should cease the perception that energy drinks are just stimulating beverages to enhance their activeness in their studies and at the workplace. Instead, they should be aware of the side effects accompanying these energizers and the adverse impacts they have on their health, behaviors and emotional reactions. However, this is contradicted by the progressive increment of these products in the market (Sifferlin 1). People are continuously and blindly consuming the energy drinks without the considerations of the things they can do to their bodies and mind. Hence, the pervasive distribution and consumption of energy drinks can only be regulated by the official agencies including the governments through the imposition of specific laws such as those prohibiting selling to children that are underage. Mobilizing people with the aim of creating awareness regarding the adversity of energy drinks should be a priority for everyone who is aware and against them.
Works Cited
Al Otaibi, Hala Hazarm and Sahar Mostafa Kamel. “Health-Risk Behaviors associated with Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption among Saudi Young Adults.” Biomedical Research (0970-938X), vol. 28, no. 19, 07 Dec. 2017, pp. 8484-8491. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=126122030&site=ehost-live.
Holubcikova, Jana, et al. “Regular Energy Drinks Consumption is Associated with the Risk of Health and Behavioral Problems in Adolescents.” European Journal of Pediatrics, vol. 176, no. 5, May 2017, pp. 599-605. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s00431-017-2881-4.
Larson, Nicole, et al. “Sports and Energy Drinks Consumption Are Linked to Health-Risk Behaviours among Young Adults.” Public Health Nutrition, vol. 18, no. 15, 15 Oct. 2015, pp. 2794-2803. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1017/S1368980015000191.
Murtaza, Matlub, et al. “Awareness about Consumption of Energy Drinks Pattern &Its Perceived Adverse Effects Amongst Medical in Lahore.” Opthalmology Update, vol. 15 no. 4, Oct-Dec2017, pp.444-447. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=126421009&site=ehost-live.
Patrick, Megan E., et al. “Energy Drinks and Binge Drinking Predict College Students’ Sleep Quantity, Quality, and Tiredness.” Behavioral Sleep Medicine, vol. 16, no. 1, Jan/Feb2018, pp. 92-105. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/15402002.2016.1173554.
PR, Newswire. “Dr. Pankaj Naram and a Recent Study Linking Energy Drinks to Heart Complications and Other Health Risks.” [“DR-PANKAJ-NARAM’]. PR Newswire US, 15 June 2017. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rps&AN=201706150000PR.NEWS>USPR>MN06751&site=ehost-live.
Sifferlin, Alexandra. “Why Health officials Are Concerned about Energy Drinks.” Time.Com, 16 Oct. 2014, p. 1. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mat&AN=98924257&site=ehost-live.
