An Ounce of Prevention Part Three: One Thing to Avoid Overdoing

This is the third part of an expanded version of an older blog I wrote in Fall of 2007 for Yahoo360 (no longer in existence) at the start of flu season, then posted to my old Gather account in Winter of 2008. The first part is entitled An Ounce of Prevention Part One: Things To Do and the second part is entitled An Ounce of Prevention Part Two: Stuff To Eat.
This post is basically a warning about "energy supplement" beverages and pills (like the ones you find near the counter at convenience stores) Now, this post is not about telling you to never use them. It's just a bit of information to discourage overuse, as that can present some dangers to the health.

Caffeinated "Energy Supplement" Drinks and pills.
Most caffeinated "energy supplements" are sold under the claim that they will safely and effectively boost your energy, several including the claim that they will boost your health as well. Don't believe it for a minute. These supplements get most of their boost from caffeine (and in the case of beverages, sugar.) A fair number of them don't have anything else. Those that do still contain enough caffeine and sugar that a large portion of the energy you get from drinking them really can't be attributed to the listed nutrients. Often, the energy boost is followed by a "crash," or sudden drop in energy which can also include a drop in mood.

Marketing these as supplements is a half-truth.
Yes, they contain large amounts of certain nutrients. No, that does not necessarily make them a healthy choice. What does it do? It gets them into stores without the requirement of FDA review or approval. Since the item is a marketed as a supplement, rather than a food or drug, it is not subject to the same strict standards as food and drugs. According to the FDA's page on dietary supplements, "Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is marketed. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.^"
One effect of that is that the public will not find out if a supplement is unsafe until someone who has been harmed speaks up.

Most of the various "supplement" drinks on the market contain variations on the same nutritional formula; high levels of B vitamins, along with herbal supplements and amino acids which may include Ginseng, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Guarana, and Coenzyme Q-10. The herbs and amino acids are generally beneficial, but some can cause insomnia, and others can have more serious side effects. B-vitamins are also beneficial, but in very high doses, especially taken by someone who is not suffering a deficiency, these also can have some serious side effects.

Taking energy supplements now and then is not a big deal, but habitual use of them can interfere with regular sleep habits, which can in turn interfere with your immune system along with several other aspects of your health.
It is particularly easy to accidentally over-use carbonated energy beverages, which are often sold in the same area as canned pop, tea, and other soft drinks. An individual used to sipping pop or tea all day may not think about doing the same thing with energy drinks, and could end up overdosing on caffeine and some of the other ingredients. Some brands actually contain warnings about consumption limits. Others don't.
At my store, I've heard teens using limits listed on one brand's can for bragging rights, talking about how many they'd had, the same way I've heard college students bragging about how drunk the got at so-and-so's party... some kids are consuming a lot! Parents of teens whose behavior sometimes wildly fluctuates, with the kid sometimes acting like him/herself, and other times acting like a Monster, may want to check on how many of these beverages he or she is consuming daily.

Another issue with caffeinated energy supplements is that they can mask real, existing health problems, or enable unhealthy life habits. If you find yourself needing to use them daily, you might want to think about why. A consistent low energy level could be point to any number of issues, none of which should go unaddressed indefinitely.

The bottom line: It's best to treat energy drinks and energy pills with caution and limit use, just as you would any other OTC drug.