GUZZLING DOWN THE POPULAR,
HIGHLY-CAFFEINATED BEVERAGE.
DR. HEBERT: ENERGY DRINKS.
YOU SEE THEM EVERYWHERE -- AT X
GAMES EVENTS, BASKETBALL ARENAS,
AND CONCERTS, BUT WHAT SCIEN
HAS BEEN SHOWN AS RECENTLY THAT
THESE ENERGY DRINKS CAN REALLY
BE UNHEALTHY.
THESE DRINKS ARE OFTEN PACKED
WITH EXTRA VITAMINS, ALONG WITH
CAFFEINE, WHICH DELIVERS THE
EYE-OPENING JOLT OF ENERGY AND
IS SUPPOSED TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN
POWER.
IF YOU'VE BEEN UP ALL NIGHT AT
WORK OR STUDYING OR EVEN AT A
BAR OR NIGHTCLUB, YOU MIGHT WANT
THAT EXTRA KICK FROM ENERGY
DRINKS TO STAY ALERT LONGER OR
PERFORM BETTER SOMETIMES.
THE MAKERS OF THESE DRINKS CLAIM
THEIR DRINKS DELIVER ENERGY, BUT
IN FACT, WHAT THEY DELIVER ARE
MONSTER-DOSES OF CAFFEINE AND
OTHER SUPPLEMENTS THAT REV UP
YOUR SYSTEM.
LARGE AMOUNTS OF CAFFEINE MAY
CAUSE SERIOUS HEART AND BLOOD
VESSEL PROBLEMS SUCH AS HEART
RHYTHM DISTURBANCES AND
INCREASES IN HEART RATE AND
BLOOD PRESSURE.
CAFFEINE IS ALSO BEEN ASSOCIATED
WITH PALPITATIONS, ANXIETY,
SLEEP PROBLEMS, DIGESTIVE
PROBLEMS AND DEHYDRATION.
AND JUST IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T
HEARD THIS STATEMENT BEFORE,
NEVER, NEVER MIX ENERGY DRINKS
WITH ALCOHOL.
YOU SEE CAFFEINE CAN MASK
, SENSORY CUES THAT YOUR BODY
RELIES ON TO DETERMINE HOW
INTOXICATED YOU ARE.
THIS MEANS THAT CONSUMING ENERGY
DRINKS CAN MAKE YOU EVEN MORE
INTOXICATED THAN YOU REALIZE,
WHICH CAN LEAD TO HAZARDOUS AND
LIFE-THREATENING BEHAVIORS, LIKE
ALCOHOL POISONING, SEXUAL
ASSAULT OR RIDING WITH A DRIVER
WHO IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF
ALCOHOL.
LOOK, I GET IT.
YOU'RE BUSY WITH SCHOOL, OR A
FULL-TIME JOB, OR BOTH, AND WHEN
YOU FINALLY WANT TO SLEEP YOU
, HAVE TO GET UP WHILE IT'S
STILL DARK OUT TO DO IT ALL OVER
AGAIN.
NO WONDER ENERGY DRINKS ARE
SO APPEALING.
BUT, THEY ARE NOT WORTH THE
POSSIBLE HEALTH RISKS.
IT'S BETTER TO GET MORE SLEEP
AND EXERCISE SO YOU DON'T HAVE
TO DEPEND ON CHEMICALS TO BOOST
