When I was in high school some 9 years ago now, energy drinks, like mobile phones, were just emerging in society. They certainly weren’t mainstream, and, in fact, I don’t even think I tried a Red Bull or V until I had finished high school and entered the realm of uni days and hospitality nights.
Nowadays these drinks are as popular as your average soft drink. Red Bull, the first mainstream energy drink, launched in 1997, and in the past 12 years it has spearheaded a $5.4 billion-a-year energy drink industry.
Last year, professor of psychiatry and neuroscience Roland Griffiths said that caffeinated energy drinks that promise super alertness (and sometimes imply better sports performance) should carry labels that specify their amount of caffeine, as well as warnings of potential health dangers.
Some energy drinks contain as much caffeine as 14 cans of soft drink. Although that is an extreme case, energy drinks contain a concentrated amount of sugar and caffeine and due to their small size they can be consumed quickly and frequently.
Caffeine will temporarily wake you up, but as it is a stimulant its effect wears off after a couple of hours. Too much caffeine can also have side effects like insomnia and high blood pressure. Likewise, the high sugar content used to sweeten energy drinks gives a quick, temporary buzz (and as we all know, consuming too much sugar leads to weight gain and associated health problems).
Where did our energy go?
Before 1997, society clearly functioned without the $5.4 billion per year spend on energy drinks. So why did we suddenly think we needed all these energy boosts as soon as Red Bull came on the market?
A powerful marketing message is a likely answer. ‘Red Bull gives you wings’ is a phrase most of us are aware of and RB’s cute, memorable advertising campaigns are pumped onto our television screens regularly.
These days, teens and adults alike are living fuller, busier lives and are working harder, with less time to relax and rejuvenate. We don’t have as much time to focus on healthy diets and exercise, we sit in front of screens for hours upon end and our energy levels suffer as a result. Enter the energy drink, poised to replenish our energy in a matter of sips.
Healthy ways to boost your energy
We can get our energy levels up with a little bit of effort and a lot of positive change! These tips are nothing new, but they are the tried and true ways.
- Sleep more - 8 hours per night or on average each night throughout the week
- Exercise regularly
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish
- Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water
- Cut down on smoking, drinking and caffeine
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