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Passing Exams, Failing the Body: How Energy Drinks Affect Your Health

Several medical reports have linked excessive energy drinks consumption to serious health complications. This is because energy drinks have now become less of an occasional beverage and more of a survival tool for stress, academic pressure, exhaustion, and part of daily student life, especially during examination periods.

Originally, energy drinks were simply a type of beverage that increases alertness, physical energy and concentration for a period of time. Due to its intended use to boost alertness, it contains high amounts of sugar, stimulants, especially caffeine, a well known performance booster, Guarana, a plant extract rich in caffeine, among other substances, unlike regular soft drinks.

Common examples of such energy drinks are Monster, Red Bull, Fearless, Predator, and many other highly caffeinated drinks.

These drinks are marketed to have the ability to improve concentration, stamina, wakefulness and productivity. Due to this, many students use them in excess during exams for overnight reading, when they have to meet a project deadline, and sometimes, stressful academic periods. But while they may provide temporary alertness, the body often pays for that boost later through physical and mental strain.

Caffeine, the most important stimulant in every energy drink, increases heart rate and blood pressure when taken without caution. Excessive intake can lead to chest discomfort, high blood pressure, and palpitations. It is even more dangerous for people with underlying heart conditions as it can complicate it.

Beyond its possible negative effect on the heart, caffeine may increase fluid loss through urination. Most students replace their water intake with energy drinks during stressful periods, and this can easily lead to dehydration. And when the body gets dehydrated, one feels weak, constantly dizzy, and experiences recurrent headaches. Also, frequent intake of energy drinks, especially on empty stomachs, could lead to digestive problems. And this starts with symptoms such as nausea, stomach irritation, loss of appetite and acid reflux.

It doesn't end there. Continuous usage of these drinks leads to dependence. With time, students start to feel unable to study properly without taking energy drinks. The body gradually gets used to normal functioning only when stimulated by caffeine, which is extremely harmful to one's health.

Its effect on emotional well-being is not left out. Energy drinks interfere with the body's normal sleep cycle, leading to poor quality of sleep, or worse, insomnia. This then eventually causes poor memory, unexplained fatigue, and inability to concentrate, which reduces the student's learning efficiency. Caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, which makes some students experience nervousness, panic attacks, mood swings, and inability to stay calm.

Beyond basic physical effects, medical reports have documented cases of Acute Kidney Injury linked to excessive energy drink consumption. Kidney disease is becoming an increasing health concern globally and locally. Many people only discover kidney problems when the condition has become severe, but this is, in fact, where it begins many times.

In one reported case, a young adult developed Acute Kidney Injury after regularly consuming multiple energy drinks daily while sleeping poorly and remaining dehydrated during stressful work periods. Other documented cases have linked excessive energy drinks use to heart rhythm abnormalities, severe anxiety, seizures, elevated blood pressure, kidney complications and more.

While not everyone who drinks energy drinks will develop severe illness, repeated excessive consumption increases health risks significantly.

Healthier ways to maintain energy and concentration include proper and adequate sleep to restore energy and improve memory, drinking enough water, eating balanced and nutritious meals, reduced consumption of coffee, energy drinks, and other stimulants-containing drinks.

Light exercises are also advised to reduce fatigue, and proper scheduling of study periods to help manage time enough to not depend on overnight cramming and stimulants use. Adopting all these means instead of excessive intake of energy drinks is encouraged for every student.

Excellence Should not be Pursued to the Detriment of Your Health. Stay Healthy!