Waking up for school is quite a chore. How are we supposed to last about seven hours a day in school? Or sometimes you just need that extra pick-me-up in the middle of the day. Maybe you have a really important exam the next day, and you have to stay up all night to study, so you run to a coffee shop quickly in the morning. All these scenarios have one common denominator, a quick energy fix, which usually ends up being an energy drink of some sort.
Lotus, Redbull, Reign, Bang and Celsius are some of the most popular energy drinks. After lunch, many kids have an energy drink of some kind in hand.
“I drink about one to two a day, so maybe 10 a week at the most,” Charlee Friddle said.
Jacob Holan, on the other hand, said he drinks one to two a week.
Not only is there a coffee stand across the street from Lakeland High School, but there are also multiple near the school and even inside.
The Social Bean is quite a hit among the LHS student body. They are kind of spendy but also convenient.
Each drink is about $5, depending on where you go. At the moment, you think $5 is not a big deal, but it adds up quickly. That is only one drink too. What if you buy a drink for a friend?
High schoolers are not exactly rich anyway. Some have jobs but, but many do not because of school and sports schedules. When you drive and have to pay for gas, that also dwindles your budget.
“I spend way too much money on drinks without a doubt,” said Friddle.
By the end of 2021, energy drinks sales were equal to $14 billion in the U.S., according to Statista.
Sometimes playing sports after drinking an energy drink can make you feel sick or make you tired and slow you down. This seems odd because energy drinks are supposed to give you energy, right? But they can also do the opposite.
Some other problems can also include dehydration, anxiety, or feeling jittery and hyperactive and not being able to sleep, according to the CDC.
Cynthia Peck does not let her cheerleaders drink energy drinks at practice at all.
Working out increases your heart rate already, so drinking an energy drink is just increasing your heart rate even more.
“You don’t want to use extra stimulants when you are already doing it naturally,” said Peck.
Drinking an energy drink before or during practice can reduce your performance level in sports, and you may not feel your greatest during practice. It can make you dehydrated and feel.
If you do not eat before drinking an energy drink, it can be even worse.
The added sugars can also cause increases in blood sugar. Because of this, it can increase anxiety levels.
Taurine, which is an additive put in these beverages, is an amino acid for infants, but teens and adults already produce it themselves, so it is not necessary to ingest more.
The problem is that they taste delicious. So, the more you drink them, the more you crave them, and soon, you’re addicted. Even some brands have flavors of candy which makes them more appealing to younger people.
For example, there is a Swedish fish flavor, sour patch kid flavor, and many more. Now this marketing tactic is not just used in energy drink distribution. It is also used in vape distribution. This is problematic, especially for younger ages.
If you make it a habit, it can also become problematic. You may say that you need to stop spending all your money on these and skip a day. Depending on how much and how long you have been having them consistently, you can start experiencing withdrawals.
Caffeine, which is found in the drinks we love and share, affects the same part of our brain as cocaine. However, in completely different ways, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Caffeine can block receptors in the brain. It can block one for what is called adenosine, which is one of the four building blocks of DNA and an important signaling molecule from the brain.
The energy given to you through your energy drink can be given to you in a well-balanced diet instead, according to UCLA Health.
Would you ever stop and think that the Lotus or Redbull in your hand could have similar effects on your brain as cocaine does?
