Valentina Fuentes , Story Editor
Walking through the halls of NCHS, you are likely to see at least one student walking to class with an energy drink in hand. Celsius, Monster, and Red Bull, to name a few, have become more common than water bottles in the early mornings. With colorful packaging, and the promise of a boost in stamina, these drinks seem like the perfect enhancers for sport performance and the key to staying awake throughout a day of busy high school schedules. But, beneath their popularity, these drinks pose serious risks to teens and their health.
One of the biggest dangers is the absurd amount of caffeine packed into a single can. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents consume no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day, many drinks contain two or three times that amount. A 12 ounce can of Celsius, one of the most common beverage types seen at NCHS, contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, and a 16 ounce contains up to 300 milligrams.
Within minutes of drinking, caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream where it stimulates the central nervous system. The article “How Caffeine Affects Your Body and Mind” by Cleveland Clinic states that caffeine “takes just 15 to 20 minutes for caffeine to hit your bloodstream.” This can cause a racing heartbeat, a spike in blood pressure and a surge in adrenaline, which is why students may feel restless. Though seen as a harmless effect, that feeling of an energy surge is closely tied to anxiety, digestive issues, migraines, and even heart attacks. Alongside this, additives such as guarana and taurine that are commonly present in these drinks, amplify such effects, placing extra stress on the body.
These effects also seep into the classroom. When high schoolers use energy drinks to stay awake during late night studying, they disrupt their natural sleep cycles, which leads to a build up of adenosine, a sleep inducing chemical, resulting in a sluggish state the next day for the student. This reduces focus, slows reaction time and makes memory retention harder. Instead of improving grades, energy drinks cause chronic fatigue and weaken academic performance.
For athletes, the dangers can be even worse. Energy drinks act as diuretics, increasing the risk of dehydration during practices and games. Combined with strenuous physical activity, excessive caffeine can also put a strain on the heart and can lead to cramps, dizziness and even more serious cardiovascular problems.
“In young adults, energy drink use has been linked to a pattern of behavioral risk-taking that includes hazardous drinking, unsafe sexual activity, aggression, and driving while intoxicated”
National Library of Medicine
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry also states that “each year, thousands of people, some of them children, receive emergency treatment related to caffeine use”. The complications being treated range among heart problems, seizures, intense nausea and migraines, all of which can negatively impact a young adolescent body.
Despite marketing strategies that frame energy drinks as essential to have an energetic day, the long term consequences outweigh the short boost. Healthier and safer alternatives exist, such as water, sport drinks with electrolytes, and even green tea can be a better source of hydration and energy. Most importantly, prioritizing more sleep remains the most effective way for students to perform well in both academics and athletics. For NCHS students, putting down the can might be the best choice to have a stimulating career and athletic season.
