Fact vs. Fiction: The TRUE story about Energy Drinks

Fact: I never, once in my life, ever consumed manufactured Energy Drinks. Several times I have been tempted to – with my background in Nursing school, and now in the Healthcare profession – burn out is very imminent and consumption of drinks with sugar and caffeine is norm. My reason for not patronizing these colored drinks? I just didn’t want to – because truth be told, I do not know what is in them.

However, as the general lifestyle of everyone continues to increase it’s pace, keeping up with the demands to fulfill more in the twenty four hours given to us becomes more and more time and energy consuming. The emergence of energy drink has given people with this super active lifestyle an option to get more things done. And if there is one truth about energy drinks is that you can control what you consume, and knowing the facts versus the fiction will allow you to maximize its benefits

#1: Energy drinks containing high levels of caffeine
MYTH. A 240ml bottle of the leading energy drink contains about 90mg of caffeine, in which compared to a medium or large-sized brewed coffee that has 3x more caffeine content confirms this is a myth. But more than the wake-up buzz, Energy drinks also have added ingredients such as B-vitamins, Ginseng, and Inositol which also help further boost your energy and mental alertness. It is always best to check the back label of the product to give guidance for you to track how much caffeine an energy drink contains.

#2: Energy drinks are also sports drinks
TRUTH and MYTH. While there is no difference between Sports drinks and Energy drinks, it is more correct to say that Energy drinks can be used as sports drinks. They are both categorized as water based flavored drinks which may or may not contain electrolytes, vitamins and other nutrients. The ingredients energy drinks provide are intended to enhance physical performance especially before workout as it keeps you more stimulated for exercise. However, one should keep in mind that energy drinks are diuretics because of the caffeine content, which is why it’s important to partner this with continuous drinking of water to avoid possible dehydration.

#3: Energy drinks are not for children or people with caffeine sensitivities
TRUTH. As caffeine being the key ingredient found in energy drinks, thus the effects on
sleeping habits, moods, and even appetite may be experienced. Similarly on how we keep our children away from coffee and sodas, drinking energy drink is also not recommended for them. There are also high caution given to people with caffeine sensitivity, and most especially pregnant women as this may affect the fetus development.

#4: Energy drinks cause palpitations and difficulty in breathing
MYTH AND TRUTH. The main bad reputation of energy drink derives from the issue of
experiencing heavy palpitations that may bring about breathing difficulties. As we’ve
established, caffeine is present in most of what we consume: energy drinks, sodas, teas, and even chocolates and nuts. People who are not used to consuming this ingredient, or at the very least, people who do not drink coffee, will have higher chances of experiencing the effects. Let it be known that it is not because the ingredient is not safe for the body, but solely because the body adjusts to this added stimulant.

#5: Energy drinks are not regulated
MYTH. The leading energy drink in the country has been in the market since 2006, and for more than a decade, it has continuously passed the strictest standards of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The key ingredients inside an energy drink are also the same ingredients that are present in the food we consume daily. Thus, with this regulation, Cobra, as the no.1 energy drink, is approved to be widely available in the Philippines.

Of course, with all of that said, it always does’t hurt to be a little bit skeptic – so as a Nurse (and your friend! Yes naman! Friends tayo!) whenever you drink something that is colored or has sugar – always flush it down with water! On that note, congratulations to Summit Natural Drinking Water for being the country’s no.1 brand for the mineral and purified segment of packaged water on Nielsen’s annualized period covering March 2017-February 2018!

Happy drinking! Thanks for dropping by!