Energy drink
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Energy drinks are soft drinks advertised as providing energy to improve physical activity of the drinker, as compared to a typical drink. Rather than providing food energy (as measured in calories),[1] these drinks are designed to increase a user's mental alertness and physical performance by the addition of caffeine, vitamins, and herbal supplements which may interact to provide a stimulant effect over and above that obtained from caffeine alone.[2]
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[edit] Ingredients
Generally energy drinks include methylxanthines (including caffeine), vitamin B and herbs. Other common ingredients are guarana, which has a high caffeine content, and taurine, plus various forms of ginseng, maltodextrin, carbonated water, inositol, carnitine, creatine, glucuronolactone and ginkgo biloba. Some contain high levels of sugar, and many brands also offer artificially-sweetened 'diet' versions. The central ingredient in most energy drinks is caffeine, the same stimulant found in coffee or tea, often in the form of guarana or yerba mate.
The average 237 milliliter (8 fluid ounce) energy drink has about 80 mg of caffeine, with 480 mL (16 fl. oz.) drinks containing around 150 mg.
[edit] Desirable effects
A variety of physiological and psychological effects attributed to energy drinks and/or their ingredients have been investigated.
Two studies reported significant improvements in mental and cognitive performances as well as increased subjective alertness. Excess consumption of energy drinks may induce mild to moderate euphoria primarily caused by stimulant properties of caffeine and may also induce agitation, anxiety, irritability and insomnia.[3] During repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults an energy drink significantly increased upper body muscle endurance. [4] It was also suggested that reversal of caffeine withdrawal is a major component of the effects of caffeine on mood and performance.[5]
Restorative properties were shown by a combination of caffeine and CHO in an energy drink,[6] and some degree of synergy between the cognition-modulating effects of glucose and caffeine was also suggested.[7] In one experiment, a glucose-based energy drink (containing caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone) was given to eleven tired participants being tested in a driving simulator. Lane drifting and reaction times were measured for two hours post-treatment and showed significant improvement.[8]
Two articles concluded that the improved information processing and other effects could not be explained in terms of the restoration of plasma caffeine levels to normal following caffeine withdrawal.[9]
[edit] Adverse effects
Caution is warranted even for healthy adults who choose to consume energy beverages. Consumption of a single energy beverage will not lead to excessive caffeine intake; however, consumption of two or more beverages in a single day can.[10][11] Other stimulants such as ginseng are often added to energy beverages and may enhance the effects of caffeine,[citation needed] and ingredients such as guarana themselves contain caffeine. Adverse effects associated with caffeine consumption in amounts greater than 400 mg include nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), decreased bone levels, and stomach upset.[10][11] The concentration of sugar in a sports drink is recommended to be 6-7% carbohydrate to allow maximum absorption and minimize spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Higher concentrations such as those seen in energy drinks will slow fluid absorption into the blood and energy system, increasing the possibility of dehydration. When a high level of sugar is in the blood stream the body cannot get the water into the cells that it needs because the water is busy trying to dilute concentration of sugar in the blood stream[12]. The actual number of people suffering from adverse effects is difficult to measure since many cases go unreported.[13]
In the United States, energy drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits.[14] The drinks may cause seizures due to the "crash" following the energy high that occurs after consumption.[15] Caffeine dosage is not required to be on the product label for food in the United States, unlike drugs, but some advocates are urging the FDA to change this practice.[16]
Until 2008, France banned the popular energy drink Red Bull after the death of eighteen-year-old Irish athlete Ross Cooney, who died as a result of playing a basketball game after consuming four cans of the drink.[17] The French Scientific Committee (J.D. Birkel) concluded that Red Bull has excessive amounts of caffeine.[17] Denmark also banned Red Bull. Britain investigated the drink, but only issued a warning against its use by pregnant women and children.[17]
[edit] History
Although not marketed as such, the Scottish drink Irn-Bru may be considered the first energy drink, produced as "Iron Brew" in 1901. In Japan, the energy drink dates at least as far back as the early 1960s, with the release of the Lipovitan. Most such products in Japan bear little resemblance to soft drinks, and are sold instead in small brown glass medicine bottles or cans styled to resemble such containers. These "genki drinks", which are also produced in South Korea, marketed primarily to the salaryman set.
In UK, Lucozade Energy was originally introduced in 1929 as a hospital drink for "aiding the recovery;" in the early 1980s, it was promoted as an energy drink for "replenishing lost energy."
The first drink marketed as being designed to improve the performance of athletes and sports stars arrived in the sixties. It was invented for the football team at the University of Florida, known as the Gators — hence its name, Gatorade. Designed to aid hydration and lengthen performance levels, it claimed that its ingredients were formulated for just such things.
In 1985, Jolt Cola was introduced in the United States. Its marketing strategy centered on the drink's caffeine content, billing it as a means to promote wakefulness. The initial slogan was, "All the sugar and twice the caffeine."
In 1995, PepsiCo launched Josta, the first energy drink introduced by a major US beverage company (one that had interests outside just energy drinks).
In Europe, energy drinks were pioneered by the S. Spitz Company and a product named Power Horse, before the business savvy of Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian entrepreneur, ensured his Red Bull product became far better known, and a worldwide best seller. Mateschitz developed Red Bull based on the Thai drink Krating Daeng, itself based on Lipovitan. Red Bull is the dominant brand in the US after its introduction in 1997, with a market share of approximately 47%.[18]
By the year 2001, the US energy drink market had grown to nearly 8 million per year in retail sales. Over the next 5 years, it grew an average of over 50% per year, totaling over $3 billion in 2005.[19] Diet energy drinks are growing at nearly twice that rate within the category, as are 16-ounce sized energy drinks. The energy drink market became a $5.4 billion dollar market in 2007, and both Goldman Sachs and Mintel predict that it will hit $10 billion by 2010. Major companies' such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Molson, and Labatt have tried to match smaller companies' innovative and different approach, with marginal success.
Energy drinks are typically attractive to young people. Approximately 65% percent of its drinkers are between the ages of 13 and 35 years old, with males being approximately 65% of the market.[19] A 2008 statewide Patient Poll conducted by the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Institute for Good Medicine found that: 20 percent of respondents ages 21–30 had used energy drinks in high school or college to stay awake longer to study or write a paper; 70 percent of respondents knew someone who had used an energy drink to stay awake longer to study or work.[20] Energy drinks are also popular as drink mixers.
[edit] Packaging
In 2002 CCL Container and Mistic Brands, Inc., part of the Snapple Beverage Group, worked together on the national launch of Mistic RĒ, which used a recyclable aluminum bottle. Since its introduction, many energy drinks are now packaged in the aluminum bottlecans produced by CCL.
Coca-Cola marketed two Powerade brand energy drinks in bullet-shaped, screw-top aluminum bottle cans. Capri Sun targeted 16-25 year-olds with its Island Refreshers line, graduating from a foil pouch design to a bottlecan. In the UK, Coca-Cola has marketed a direct Red Bull competitor, 'Sprite 3G', in a similar 250 mL can and has also launched 'Relentless', a juice-based energy drink in 500 mL cans.
UK supermarkets have launched their own brands of energy drinks at lower prices than the major ones. These are mostly produced by US beverage maker Cott. Tesco supermarkets sell 'Kick' in 250 mL cans and 1 L bottles, Asda sell 'Blue Charge' in similar packaging and Morrison's sell 'Source' in 250 mL cans. Cott sells a variety of other branded energy drinks to independent retailers in various containers.
There has been a growing trend for packaging energy drink in bigger cans.[when?] Popular brands such as Redbull and Monster have increased the amount of ounces per can. Conversely, the emergence of energy shots have gone the opposite way with much smaller packaging.
[edit] Combination with alcohol
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Energy drinks are often mixed with alcohol. Where energy drinks are stimulants, alcohol is a depressant. The mix can be particularly hazardous as energy drinks can mask the influence of alcohol and a person can fail to take its effects into consideration.[21] Normally fatigue would set in as large amounts of alcohol are being consumed, but the stimulating effect of energy drinks can override this effect.[22] Often drunk with vodka or in shots it has lead to increase in the purchase of pre-mixed drinks also known as alco-pops often containing guarana or taurine extract which provides energy drinks with their flavour.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ A can of bull? Do energy drinks really provide a source of energy?
- ^ Research on the Health Effects of other energy drinks additives
- ^ PMID 11665810. PMID 18470842.
- ^ PMID 18046053.
- ^ PMID 12424547.
- ^ PMID 16388831.
- ^ PMID 15549275.
- ^ PMID 11310933.
- ^ PMID 11140366. PMID 11713623.
- ^ a b http://apt.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/11/6/432
- ^ a b http://www.safefoodonline.com/safefood/Uploads/health_effects.pdf
- ^ http://www.winforum.org/komo.html
- ^ Energy Drinks: Ingredients, Dangers, Reviews, & Comparisons
- ^ Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk
- ^ New-onset seizures in adults: Possible association with consumption of popular energy drinks
- ^ Warning: Energy Drinks Contain Caffeine by Allison Aubrey. Morning Edition, National Public Radio, 24 September 2008.
- ^ a b c French ban on Red Bull (drink) upheld by European Court
- ^ Soda With Buzz Forbes, Kerry A. Dolan, 03.28.05
- ^ a b Mintel Energy Drink Report 2006, 07.05.06
- ^ Energy Drinks – Busting Your Health for the Buzz Newswise, Retrieved on September 21, 2008.
- ^ Energy Drinks: Ingredients, Dangers, Reviews, & Comparisons
- ^ http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/atod/energydrinks.htm
[edit] External links
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