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Energy in a Can?
Red Bull, Atomic Energy Drink, Adrenaline Rush, Power.
From raves to action sports events, nighttime highways to office
cubicles, these new energy drinks are the hottest cold beverages
to come along since Coca Cola. But are they safe?
Last summer, Sweden's National Food
Administration issued a public warning about Red Bull, spurred
by three deaths in their country which reportedly occurred shortly
after consuming the energy drink. But Red Bull's web site asserts
that its products are as safe as a cup of coffee.
Manufacturers appear to be targeting
young, active people, by sponsoring races and extreme athletes.
Just don't confuse "energy drinks" with "sports
drinks." While the latter category focuses on rehydration,
the common bond in the former category is caffeine, which can
cause dehydration.
Caffeine (often in the form of guarana)
isn't the only active ingredient in these drinks that promise
energy. Other exotic ingredients may include ginkgo biloba, ginseng
and taurine - sometimes even ephedra. "With herbals, we
need to remember that if they're powerful enough to help, then
they can be potent enough to do harm," says Suzanne Girard
Eberle, author of Endurance Sports Nutrition (Human Kinetics,
2000). "Taken in large amounts, any nutrient or herb acts
more like a drug than a supplement."
So, if you really need a jolt of energy
and don't mind risking hydration and perhaps even health, then
go ahead and drink up. That is, if you can get past an energy
drink's taste - often compared to cough syrup - and its price
- generally $1.50 to $3 a pop. - Monique Cole
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