As the second semester comes to an end, so does the energy of many staff and students, and with finals approaching, many believe they need a boost to finish the year strong. This “boost” is given by extra caffeine and energy drinks.
Energy drinks have been a massive trend in today’s society. Some believe that there is no point to drinking energy drinks because they cause more harm than good. Others believe they are a necessity to their lives and they need them every day.
While there are benefits to drinking energy drinks, it has been found that there is more harm than good that comes from them. Christian Overstreet, Fair Grove High School’s principal, explained his opinion on if energy drinks are good or bad, “In my opinion, I do not think energy drinks are good for people. Maybe in small quantities they are fine, but if they are drunk in large quantities, they can be harmful to your health.”
Overstreet continued, “No I do not (drink energy drinks), energy drinks are known to have harmful side effects, especially on the cardiovascular system.”
According to https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articlessontain%20large,obesity%20and%20type%202%20diabete, it shows facts about the health and harm of energy drinks. It starts by referencing the benefits of energy drinks are few and far between with the exception of boost in memory, alertness, mood and physical endurance. While the harmful effects of energy drinks include cardiovascular effects which cause elevated heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to a heart attack. Other harmful effects include neurological, psychological and dental.
Reese Wells (12), gives her opinion on the consumption of energy drinks. “I drink energy drinks because they give me the mojo I need to get my day going and be productive at school, in sports and at home.”
Wells continued by explaining her reasoning. “About 400mg of caffeine is the recommended amount, which is comparable to 2-3 energy drinks depending on the brand.”
Dustin Hayman, Fair Grove School Resource Officer, added on to the down side of energy drinks, “They are bad, due to high levels of caffeine, high levels of sugar which can cause dental erosion.”
Hayman continued, “They can worsen existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure or heart failure as well as increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease and anxiety disorders.”
