Energy Drink Ingredients

Do you like energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, Amp, or Rockstar?

I don't like the soda pop type energy drinks, but I do like the coffee energy drinks, like Rockstar Roasted Coffee & Energy.

The "lucid high" (supposedly obtained from alcohol mixed with energy substances) concept has taken hold with many young people. They mistakenly think that if they've got both an alcohol stupor and an energy buzz, they'll function better mentally and have better reflex responses.

Unfortunately, being drunk and speeded up just means you'll probably get into a car accident, a physical fight, or other trouble -- faster. Your brain is scrambled, slowed down by the liquor and pumped up by the energy substances, so it doesn't know if it's coming or going.

As dietary supplements, these energy drinks don't need FDA approval, so you need to study up on them.

If you experience fatigue, drowsiness, or mental cloudiness, you should address the issue of what's causing these feelings. To force your body and brain to charge forward, when they want to collapse, shut down, and rest, any intense artificial stimulation could lead to serious medical problems down the road.

If your body screams for sleep, then give it the sleep it needs.

Now let's look at some of the ingredients found in my favorite Rockstar beverage.

But remember, children under 12 and pregnant or nursing women should not consume energy drinks.


Rockstar Roasted
Coffee & Energy
INGREDIENTS


Caffeine: -- Found in coffee, chocolate, kola nuts, and other substances. Wakes you up and increases alertness. A mild analgesic and synergistically boosts the effectiveness of other pain medicine. 200-300 mg daily is the recommended maximum amount.

Guarana seeds

Guarana Seed Extract -- Source of high levels of caffeine. Increases alertness and improves mental focus. Some think it improves sports or romantic performance, but no studies have yet proven this.


Panax Ginseng Extract -- This is the Korean form of ginseng and is considered more potent than American or Siberian ginseng. According to WebMD, ginseng has been studied as something that may "improve mood and boost endurance as well as treat cancer, heart disease, fatigue, erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C, high blood pressure, menopausal symptoms, and other conditions. While some of these uses are promising, the evidence isn’t conclusive."


Taurine -- An amino acid found in meat and fish. According to WebMD, "people take taurine supplements as medicine to treat congestive heart failure (CHF), high blood pressure, liver disease (hepatitis), high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia), and cystic fibrosis. Other uses include seizure disorders (epilepsy), autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), eye problems (disorders of the retina), diabetes, and alcoholism. It is also used to improve mental performance and as an antioxidant."


Inositol -- Found in fruit, beans, grains, and nuts. Helps cells communicate with each other. May help brain serotonin modulation, a key factor in depression and other mental disorders. Has shown some promise as treatment for bulimia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, and unipolar and bipolar depression.


L-Carnitine -- Found in wide range of foods, including red meats, nuts, seeds, bee pollen, dairy products, vegetables, and fruit. Biologically active form of carnitine, an ammonium compound synthesized in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Often used for heart conditions, diabetes, kidney problems, and obesity. Helps bone mass in the elderly and has a powerful antioxidant action.

Gingko Biloba leaf

Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract -- This "living fossil" is in its own unique category. It is thought to have nootropic properties, meaning it helps improve mental functioning like memory and concentration. It has yet to prove clinically effective in postponing or curing dementia or Alzheimers, but studies continue to be made. It seems to improve blood circulation to tissues and organs.

Milk thistle plant

Milk Thistle Extract -- This is the common roadside thistle you see all over Central Illinois, with the pretty purple flowers and sharp, long-pointed thorns. Traditionally considered a liver tonic, milk thistle is also thought to be an antidote to liver damage caused by Amanita phalloides "death's head" mushroom poisoning. It is also believed to have anti-cancer, LDL cholesterol lowering, opiate addiction withdrawal, and diabetic insulin-resistance adjusting value.



Further Reading



Naturally Yours Grocery News "Energy Drinks"

Naturally Yours Grocery News "Simple Steps to Boost Energy"

Naturally Yours Grocery News "Optimize Your Energy Levels"

WebMD "Energy Shots: Do They Work?"

WebMD "Energy Drinks: Hazardous to Your Health?"

Rockstar website

Wikipedia "Energy Drinks"

Screaming Energy "Energy Drink Reviews"





Buy natural energy drinks at Naturally Yours Grocery online.



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