United Family Chiropractic Center

by Dr. Katie Greeley B.S., D.C.

Teenage Addiction to Energy Drinks

As a family chiropractor and a mother involved with teenagers I am seeing an alarming new trend amongst our youth. Our youth mostly under the age of 30 are becoming seriously addicted to energy drinks. In fact U.S. consumers spent around seven hundred million dollars on energy drinks alone last year.

This addiction is so great that we are now seeing athletes using energy drinks to boost their game performance while at the same time many are also being hospitalized for dehydration or worse heart palpitations.

As adults we may try to discourage our teens from consuming these drinks but they are readily available in any grocery store. If it is not energy drinks our youth are consuming then you can travel to your local coffee house and you can see your local youth ordering up caffeinated beverages there too.

As parents what should we do about this growing epidemic? You can try and withhold funds but many just end up finding some odd job like car washing to feed their addiction.

Educate Teenagers About Energy Drinks

I believe as parents and physicians our job is to educate our youth about the dangers and offer them safer alternatives to that energy drain, because lets face it, if we all ate right and got enough sleep and kept stress to a minimum there would not be any need for that energy boost but we are in a fast food, high stress, over achieving world.

Let’s start by first examining what an energy drink mostly consists of.

Most energy drinks contain large doses of caffeine and other legal stimulants like ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng. Energy drinks may contain as much as 200 mg of caffeine. In comparison a cup of coffee is around 80mg of caffeine, and in fact most caffeinated sodas contain around 23 mg of caffeine.

Caffeine is a known diuretics and can cause dehydration if not enough water is consumed. It is also a central nervous system stimulant. Caffeine can also cause anxiety and the jitters.

Energy drinks also contain at least one or more natural stimulants to amplify the caffeine or give that “sugar buzz” the youth is after. For those that are trying not to consume calories the low cal versions are usually packed with artificial sweeteners which also can affect the nervous system.

In addition to the stimulants most energy drinks are packed with sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup. These drinks are mostly sugar and caffeine and the consumption of one energy drink is like drinking a six pack of soda or three cups of coffee.

In my office I have been researching products that will give our youth that energy kick but not the sugary crash that usually occurs 2-3 hours after consuming an energy drink. What I have found that diet or supplement high in B vitamin complex will help with that slumping energy.

There have been some great products that feature the acai berry and other fruits that are powerful antioxidants which help protect blood vessel walls and prevent plaque and cholesterol buildup. In addition to energy the acai berry has many amino acids for muscle development, high in fiber and low on the glycemic index which will help regulate blood sugar levels.

One product that I have found that uses the acai berry as one of its main ingredients that tastes good and really works is a drink from Mona vie which I have tested out on a few of my young patients who are large consumers of either coffee or energy drinks, and I have received wonderful results.

I have also found that training in organizational skills and time management helps to decrease the anxiety teens face with school deadlines and studying for exams. In the past many students have tried to pull all-nighters with the aid of energy drinks, only to be left jittery and unfocused when it came time to take the test.

So let’s explain to our youth that energy drinks are mostly sugar and caffeine and will end up making them crave more and more and possibly become dehydrated (without proper water consumption). They should only be used in extreme moderation if at all, and not before any athletic events.

About the Author:

Dr. Katie Greeley is a chiropractor and a mother of two living in Simi Valley, California. She has taken extra courses on pediatrics above and beyond the regular doctorate degree. Dr. Greeley is the owner of the practice United Family Chiropractic is located in Wood Ranch at 1070 Country Club Dr. West #D Simi Valley, Ca. Her office can be reached at 805-522-2324 for further questions.

References:

1. Web MD, “There are healthier ways to get an energy boost,” Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH

2. Schauss AG, Et al. “Phytochemical and nutrient composition of the freeze-dried Amazonian palmberry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai). J. Agric. Food Chem. 2006; 54 (22) 8598-603

3. Consumer reports.org

4. Brown University studies