Organic substances have been utilized by the human race for their beneficial properties since the era of cavemen. Our ability to discover ways that plants, herbs and chemicals can assist our lives has perhaps led us to become the most advanced species on Earth. Energy drinks are the latest trend in this consistent struggle to exploit our natural surroundings for ways to improve our lives. While teas such as organic white tea have been used for a long time, innovative herbs such as organic rooibos tea or tea with guarana have been shown to have beneficial effects on people who take them due to their large amounts of anti-oxidants.
There’s no doubt that having tea has a number of beneficial effects. But one of the chemicals in tea is caffeine, which is never very good for you and should only be taken in small doses. In current society, however, caffeine has become increasingly prevalent, and it’s socially acceptable to drink a dangerous amount of caffeine every day.
Products that are ridiculously high in caffeine are currently available. Coffee, of course, has been a consistent choice for those looking to get themselves up in the morning, or stay up a few extra hours at night. A recent innovation in the caffeine world has been energy drinks such as Red Bull. While these drinks are marketed as being good for you due to the presence of healthy herbs like guarana and taurine, the only real effect the body feels from these drinks comes from the massive amounts of caffeine they have.
These drinks were first released in small cans, then bigger bottled drinks were sold. Now, a double-sized can is being brought out, along with “shots” of energy drinks, that are a concentrated mix, fitting the level of caffeine in a normal can into a tiny bottle.
The effects these drinks have for those who choose to drink them can be quite serious, and nothing like the natural beneficial effects that can be felt with natural drinks. But this isn’t the first time drinks like this have been released. In the ‘90’s, a drink known as Jolt Cola became trendy among those who wanted to stay up all night, either working as computer hackers or students who needed to study for a test. Of course, like any drug that hypes up the body in the way caffeine does, there is a serious “crash” effect which occurs. This is similar to the “crash” of any amphetamine type chemical, in which the body has overextended itself to high levels of energy, and must now compensate with excessive “down” time.
While the effects of natural herbs that come from tea are highly recommended, more concentrated drugs like energy drinks and coffee should be taken with caution, and while it’s accepted in society, drinking these dangerous chemicals every day can seriously damage your wellbeing. If you ever start to notice yourself feeling sick, shaky or disorientated after drinking too much of these kinds of drinks, contact your doctor immediately. And of course, if you’re pregnant, don’t put the life of you and your baby at risk by drinking heavily caffeinated drinks.