by Molly Des Jardin

3 Myths About Energy Drinks

Today more than ever people are way busier than they have time for. The stress of kids, careers and trying to have a personal life take up all of our time. Staying alert for it isn’t a new idea, though. People all over the world have been getting a jolt of energy with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning for hundreds of years. Getting that jolt in a little can seems to make sense, right?

The old expression says that a lie will go around the world while truth is still getting its boots on. In this case, it’s marketing that has the jump on science. The desire for a powerful energy drink can lead to a lot of misinformation and false assumptions.

The myths and misinformation around energy drinks are many and widespread. Here’s three:

Myth 1. Energy drinks speed up your metabolism.

Along with the jolt of energy you feel with energy drinks you’re also getting a jolt of calories and sugar. Any calories you burn from increases in activity are more than offset by the calories you got by drinking it in the first place. Just because your heart is pounding doesn’t mean you’re losing weight

Myth 2. You can sober up faster by drinking energy drinks.

Bartenders know that when you give caffeine to someone to sober them up what you end up with is a wide awake drunk. You might think you’re sober because you’re suddenly more alert but this is a false sense of sobriety. Even worse, you will actually sober up slower because caffeine slows down the burning of alcohol in your bloodstream.

Myth 3. Energy drinks help you with your workout.

You do get an initial rush of energy when you drink one of those little cans but it doesn’t last long and then you experience the sugar crash. Since your body needs hydration during exercise you might be encouraged to drink another one. You not only don’t get the water you need but you’re adding way more calories than you’re burning.

The bottom line on energy drinks is that taken in small doses they won’t do you any harm. When taken in moderation, energy drinks do seem to give you quick energy when needed. A healthier, cheaper alternative is just to eat an apple. An apple contains sugar for energy but the fiber slows down its’ absorption so you’re getting a measured dose and not causing an extreme blood sugar shock. Plus, you’ll be getting energy, fiber and vitamins while avoiding the sugar and caffeine.

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