These days energy is a pricey commodity. It comes in the form of an espresso, a liquid “shot” you can buy at a convenience store, or in a shiny silver can. But what exactly do these products do, are they safe for you and what are healthy alternatives? 

Most “energy drinks” are stimulants made with high concentrations of caffeine and sugar; throw a few vitamins in the blend and advertisers have you believing you’re doing something good for your body. False. That combination, despite giving you a temporary boost, is not always safe, especially during exercise or taken in high doses. According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, some energy drinks contain “as much as 14 cans of Coca-Cola.”¹ And Liz Applegate, a sports nutritionist at the University of California at Davis, says that energy drinks are “a bad idea for athletes.” Furthermore, she states, “They should not be consumed during exercise, [as] they have caffeine and are too concentrated in sugar. That’s going to slow the body’s ability to absorb water.”^{2 (more…)}