Energy drinks are mainly promoted for people who need sudden energy boosts or those who exercise. Everyone has had a day where they wake up, and are just too tired to operate like normal or have to stay up late to finish an assignment. 

You most likely know someone who uses energy drinks, pre-workout or coffee on a regular basis, but what you don’t know is how bad they affect your health. 

Energy drinks are filled with tons of caffeine and sugar that rapidly increase your blood sugar. The large amounts put into such small drinks are incredibly harmful to your body and your mental health. There are a number of effects like heart failure, insomnia, anxiety, higher diabetes risk, and kidney damage that come from drinking too much. 

Teens and adolescents are the highest at risk because their body is not in a place to consume so much. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a teen should not consume more than 100mg of caffeine, or one cup of coffee a day. Caffeine is one of the most addictive artificial and natural drugs and can severely affect teens. 

Skylar Enterlin, a sophomore, shares, “I drink two Celsius drinks a day.  If I have cheer, I drink one ad ay.  On the weekends, maybe more.  I don’t feel as tired, and it boosts me up more so that I can keep going.”

With October being National Mental Health Awareness Month, you can help yourself by cutting out energy drinks or coffee and replacing them with a cup of water or orange juice. Starting off slow by lowering the daily amount of caffeine you consume will help tremendously. Staying hydrated is one of the best and easiest ways to stay healthy. 

If you use energy drinks because you feel fatigued, tired or exhausted, there are more ways to fix that. Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things in a good diet. Your mood and head space will be much better after getting more sleep. 

Dana Brice, one of our chemistry teachers, says, “When I was pregnant I cut out all coffee, not realizing how addictive it was. Getting used to not drinking it was very hard for me.”

You can also fix your diet with more natural and fresh foods. Eating greasy and sugary foods aren’t good for you. The better you eat, the better you will feel.

Energy drinks are very dangerous drinks that are addictive and incredibly unhealthy. The best thing for you is to cut them out of your diet and start more healthy habits.