Are-you-getting-enough.indd

Do you resort to energy drinks as a solution for fatigue or lack of energy? Do you know what is in your energy drink? Test your knowledge. Which of these ingredients are found in energy drinks? Caffeine Sugar Ginseng Glucuronolactone Inositol Energy drinks are beverages that increase mental alertness and physical stimulation for a short period of time. Claims for energy drinks often include improvement in sports performance. Some examples of common energy drinks in Canada are They are available in a wide range of flavours, formulations and formats. What’s in energy drinks? Energy drinks are made up of carbonated water, sugar, artificial sweetener and colour. They also contain medicinal ingredients such as caffeine guarana yerba mate ginseng ginkgo biloba taurine glucuronolactone inositol vitamins
Energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, typically between 80 and 250 mg per can—equivalent to one or
two regular cups of coffee. Yerba mate and guarana are additional sources of caffeine in energy drinks.


Healthy Eating for Your Active Lifestyle Please note that al the content related t not intended to replace the therapeutic advice of your physician, dietitian, certified fitness consultant or other health professional. May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged Caffeine is commonly used to improve performance in endurance activities. However, too much caffeine can
cause side effects such as restlessness, anxiety, nervousness, insomnia and irritability in sensitive individuals. At
higher doses, caffeine can also cause increased heart rate.
Some energy drinks have as much as 58 grams of sugar per container, or about 15 teaspoons. The amount of
sugar in energy drinks is difficult to determine as it is not stated on the label or on many of the product websites. A
variety of sugar sources are used including sucrose and glucose andsuch as acesulfame
potassium (Ace K), aspartame and sucralose. Artificial sweeteners have been approved for use by Health Canada
for all age groups with the caution that products with artificial sweeteners not replace more nutrient-rich foods.
Herbs such as ginseng and ginkgo biloba are often added to energy drinks to improve mental alertness. However,
scientific evidence to prove this effect is limited, and there is some concern that these may interact with some
medications.
Taurine, gluconolactone and inositol are sometimes added to energy drinks for their stimulatory effect, yet these
claims are not supported by research.

Vitamins, in particular the B vitamins, are often added with the claim to provide extra energy. In actuality although
the B vitamins are involved in metabolism they do not provide energy.
Few studies have evaluated the claims for individual ingredients or the potential synergistic effects of ingredients in
energy drinks.
Energy drinks are not sports drinks
An Internet search for “sports drinks” brings up a mix of web pages for both sports drinks and energy drinks where
the terms are used interchangeably. Manufacturer websites for energy drinks also serve up mixed messages,
promoting energy drinks for “improved performance” and use “during times of increased mental and physical
exertion.” They frequently use athletes, teams and sports to promote their products.
However, energy drinks are not. Energy drinks should not be used during activity or exercise as
fluids or to replace electrolytes. Energy drinks are a source of carbohydrate with a very high sugar content
similar to soft drinks (approximately 10–12%) and much higher than sports drinks. Therefore, energy drinks cannot
be absorbed as quickly or as easily as sports drinks and can cause stomach upset. In addition, the majority of
energy drinks are carbonated, which makes it harder to drink enough to stay hydrated. Their high caffeine content
can actually mask the signs of dehydration.
While some improvement is noted when energy drinks are consumed (likely due to the caffeine content), there is
to support the use of energy drinks for enhancing strength performance or for aerobic and
anaerobic endurance in active individuals.
Energy Drinks and Alcohol
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is not advised. Energy drinks may blunt the feeling of intoxication, which may lead to heavier drinking and alcohol-related injuries Healthy Eating for Your Active Lifestyle Please note that al the content related t not intended to replace the therapeutic advice of your physician, dietitian, certified fitness consultant or other health professional. May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged. Until recently, energy drinks in Canada have been regulated and sold aswhich also include herbal remedies homeopathic medicines probiotics vitamin and mineral supplements Now Health Canada has announcedas a food rather than a natural health product. This means that energy drinks wil need to have aon the label and the amount of calories, sugar and caffeine per serving—information that is currently difficult to find—will be readily available. Specific requirements wil be established to better control the types and levels of ingredients added to energy drinks restrict maximum amounts of caffeine per serving In some cases, products may need to be reformulated to meet the new criteria. This proposed change wil make it easier for consumers to make informed choices about their energy drink consumption. The final word Rather than depending on energy drinks to meet your energy needs,recommends making healthy food choices choosing water for thirst being physically active getting enough sleep Healthy Eating for Your Active Lifestyle Please note that al the content related t not intended to replace the therapeutic advice of your physician, dietitian, certified fitness consultant or other health professional. May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged

Source: http://media.nourishmovethrive.ca/media/ugc/feincms/Energy_Drinks.pdf