Energy drinks

Most energy drinks contain caffeine, B vitamins and taurine. Caffeine to help you feel alert, B vitamins to boost muscular, nervous and metabolic function, and taurine to enhance neurological function.  They can give a near instant energy boost and can help you to stretch your workout - getting your physical limit. Also, they are convenient.

Having said that, there are more drawbacks then positives with these canned wonders. They are often loaded with sugar, which can lead to obesity and a number of other chronic health problems. They can be addictive, triggering headaches and other withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut them out. They can contribute to psychological problems like anxiety, nervousness and insomnia. They can lead to heart problems such as irregular heart beat and high blood pressure. And, to top it all off, they trigger the release of stress hormones, which, over time, slow your metabolism.

If you do choose to drink energy drinks, follow these tips:

• Limit your intake of energy drinks.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Do not mix energy drinks with alcohol.
• Never give energy drinks to children, or to those who are pregnant or have cardiovascular issues.