Energy drinks are meant to supply mental and physical stimulation for a short period of time, but excessive drinking of "energy drinks" or mixing them with alcohol can have serious health effects.

People should know the consequences of drinking too many of them or mixing them with alcohol as well as what they contain.

- developed in response to the public demand

-energy drink history really begins in Europe and Asia

-Red Bull was the first to be introduced in the United States and still remains one of the most popular choices.

- accepted mostly by athletes.

- energy drinks are still relatively new

• An Energy Drink is a canned or bottled concoction that usually contains fruit juice

with any number of herbal extracts created to give you a physical or mental “boost”.

• Red Bull Energy Drink;

• Impulse Energy Drink;

• Dark Dog;

• Shark Energy Drink;

• Hype Energy Drink;

• SoBe Adrenaline Rush;

• EAS Piranha Energy Drink;

• Red Rain;

• Red Dragon Energy Drink;

• Energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade

or Powerade, which re-hydrate the body

• These sports drinks also provide sugars, which the body burns to create energy and replenish electrolytes which maintain salt and potassium balances in the body.

• Energy drinks claim to boost our intelligence, our immune system, energize us, increase our potency and make us more reflective.

Sports drinks Energy drinks

Gatorade, POWERADE and AllSport Red Bull, Adrenaline Rush, Power House, Atomic Energy, Monster, Rockstar, Cocaine

They attempt to mirror body’s electrolyte / carbohydrate composition

They contain stimulants and claim to increase mental / physical stamina

They claim to replenish losses that occur with exercise

They are highly caffeinated

• The problems with "energy drinks" arise when too many are consumed or

when they are mixed with alcohol. • Another problem with energy drinks is that unlike hot coffee or tea, which is sipped slowly, it is common for typical energy drink consumers to drink large amounts quickly.

•The stimulant effects can mask how intoxicated you are and prevent you from realizing how much alcohol you have consumed.

• The stimulant effect can give the person the impression they are not impaired

• Dehydration can hinder your body's ability to metabolize alcohol and will increase the toxicity, and therefore the hangover, the next day.

• It affects the liver directly, making the affected area unable to recover for ever.

• Energy drinks should not be used while exercising as the combination of fluid loss from sweating and the diuretic quality of the caffeine can leave the user severely dehydrated. Besides, it may cause brain hemarrage because some of the components dilute the blood so that the heart beats much easily while the physical strain of training is much less.

• Use during pregnancy

• Use with sports / exercise

• Use with alcohol

• - Red Bull Energy Drink is considered a health product in some countries and should be used according to the label instructions.

• - Excessive amounts of Red Bull Energy Drink can be extremely dangerous. The limit on Red Bull Energy Drink is 500 mL or two cans a day, as indicated on the product label.

• - Red Bull Energy Drink should not be mixed with alcohol.

• - If you engage in intense physical activity or exercise, drink enough water to help re-hydrate your system.

• - The safety profiles of other similar "energy drinks" have not been evaluated by Health Departments. It is not wise to drink excessive amounts of any "energy drink" or to mix them with alcohol.

• Energy drinks claim to boost our intelligence, our immune system, energize us, increase our potency and make us more reflective.

• Consumers must know what they are doing and how their bodies might react before they take that first gulp.

• Dra. Cecilia Rodriguez Fernandez: casilda@vet.ucm.es• http://altmedicine.about.com/od/completeazindex/a/energy_drinks.htm

• http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/atod/ene

• rgydrinks.htm• http://www.teenhealthcentre.com/articles/publish/articule_66.shtml

• http://www.colfacor.org.ar/anmat.htm

• http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/prod/energy-energie_e.html

• http://healthpolitics.org/media/energy_drinks_bad/slides_energy_drinks_bad• .pdf

• http://teenhealthcentre.com/articles/article_66.shtml

• http://telemundo-foross.kc/.net/forum/showthread.php?t=109601