Energy drinks ^ risk of TBI

[Doc50]

In a retrospective analysis of more than 10,000 adolescents (age 11-20), traumatic brain injury incidence was significantly increased in those who even occasionally consumed so called "energy drinks". The subjects were twice as likely for reported seldom use of an energy drink, and 6.78 times more likely for those reporting more than 5 such drinks per week.

The data comes from the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health's 2013 Ontario student survey, using anonymous self-administered questionnaires. The data analysis was released on 9-15-15.

One might conclude that Red Bull does in fact give wings that unfortunately are used to fly into immovable objects.

The scent of litigation is in the air.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Energy drinks are poison to the body. Even coffee can be bad if not limiting your intake of it. I limit my intake of coffee to 4 cups per day (MAX) and none after 1pm. (a cup being 8 ounces, not a cup being giant 10-12 ounce coffee cup)

 

[trickblue]

Energy drinks are poison to the body. Even coffee can be bad if not limiting your intake of it. I limit my intake of coffee to 4 cups per day (MAX) and none after 1pm. (a cup being 8 ounces, not a cup being giant 10-12 ounce coffee cup)

I switched to decaf... then to green tea...

 

[YosemiteSam]

I switched to decaf... then to green tea...

I've been hearing recently that all the "good things" they say green tea does. It actually doesn't. Of course, that doesn't mean green tea isn't tasty to drink. I certainly like it. I like black tea too.

 

[trickblue]

I've been hearing recently that all the "good things" they say green tea does. It actually doesn't. Of course, that doesn't mean green tea isn't tasty to drink. I certainly like it. I like black tea too.

Agreed... just better for you than coffee as far as we know...

 

[jterrell]

I've been hearing recently that all the "good things" they say green tea does. It actually doesn't. Of course, that doesn't mean green tea isn't tasty to drink. I certainly like it. I like black tea too.

That's both true and false.
Green tea is about as good as it gets for liquid intake.
It has very real benefits.

BUT, the various bottled and pre-processed versions carry almost none of the actual benefits.
And depending upon if you use sweeteners or not you could b e reducing or negating most of the plusses.
The traditional raw green tea lightly steeped in hot water does still produce research ravings.

I love energy drinks, sweet tea, green tea and diet (dr. pepper) soda sadly.
I try to balance them and drink twice as much water as anything else but it is a challenge unless I am in a gym a couple times a week.

I could live off of sweet tea if it wouldn't;t rot my teeth and make me fat.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I have drank sweet tea since I was a kid. Unsweetened tea quenches thirst so much better than sugary tea. Not to mention, if you're really thirsty. The last thing you want to drink is something with sugar in it. (including Gatorade) Sugar makes your kidneys kick into overdrive removing even more moisture from your body.

 

[jterrell]

I have drank sweet tea since I was a kid. Unsweetened tea quenches thirst so much better than sugary tea. Not to mention, if you're really thirsty. The last thing you want to drink is something with sugar in it. (including Gatorade) Sugar makes your kidneys kick into overdrive removing even more moisture from your body.

I know but once you have a sugar addiction and taste buds craving sugar is a tough thing to give up.
That's why fake sugar and other chemicals are so popular even though they are straight garbage.

 

[Rockport]

I have drank sweet tea since I was a kid. Unsweetened tea quenches thirst so much better than sugary tea. Not to mention, if you're really thirsty. The last thing you want to drink is something with sugar in it. (including Gatorade) Sugar makes your kidneys kick into overdrive removing even more moisture from your body.

Not to mention it makes you fat and even hungry.

 

[Doc50]

I have drank sweet tea since I was a kid. Unsweetened tea quenches thirst so much better than sugary tea. Not to mention, if you're really thirsty. The last thing you want to drink is something with sugar in it. (including Gatorade) Sugar makes your kidneys kick into overdrive removing even more moisture from your body.

That only happens in diabetics.

The metabolism of glucose at the cellular level is what produces energy. This is essential under extreme physical activity in order to keep from burning fat too rapidly and raising ketone levels high enough to impair performance.

BTW, I've kept hospice patients alive for up to 6 months on nothing but tube feelings of Gstorade.

 

[YosemiteSam]

That only happens in diabetics.

The metabolism of glucose at the cellular level is what produces energy. This is essential under extreme physical activity in order to keep from burning fat too rapidly and raising ketone levels high enough to impair performance.

BTW, I've kept hospice patients alive for up to 6 months on nothing but tube feelings of Gstorade.

What only happens in diabetics? Sugar making your kidneys work? That isn't a diabetic only thing. That happens to everyone. Sugar fluctuations in your system cause stress in many areas like the pancreas and the kidneys. Being diabetic isn't a requirement. It's how the body works.

 

[Doc50]

What only happens in diabetics? Sugar making your kidneys work? That isn't a diabetic only thing. That happens to everyone. Sugar fluctuations in your system cause stress in many areas like the pancreas and the kidneys. Being diabetic isn't a requirement. It's how the body works.

The kidneys only selectively diurese to remove sugar if the levels are significantly high; if that is the case, a person will become more dehydrated due to the body's priority of excreting toxic levels of glucose. Otherwise, glucose is rapidly utilized by tissues requiring energy, and renal function stays in a water-conserving mode.

This is basic renal biochemistry.
If anyone has put forth the theory that sports drinks are bad for the reasons you cite, that would be contrary to all the exercise science that has been studying this for decades.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The kidneys only selectively diurese to remove sugar if the levels are significantly high; if that is the case, a person will become more dehydrated due to the body's priority of excreting toxic levels of glucose. Otherwise, glucose is rapidly utilized by tissues requiring energy, and renal function stays in a water-conserving mode.

This is basic renal biochemistry.
If anyone has put forth the theory that sports drinks are bad for the reasons you cite, that would be contrary to all the basic exercise science that has been studying this for decades.

First off, I didn't say sports drinks are bad. (though some are high in sugar, though some want that sugar for energy purposes) I said excess sugar will cause the kidneys to start removing it from the system. Many times when you drink drinks high in sugar, you tend to urinate not long afterwards. That is the very reason for it.

 

[Doc50]

First off, I didn't say sports drinks are bad. (though some are high in sugar, though some want that sugar for energy purposes) I said excess sugar will cause the kidneys to start removing it from the system. Many times when you drink drinks high in sugar, you tend to urinate not long afterwards. That is the very reason for it.

Respectfully, that's also incorrect. The increase in urination from sports drinks used when an individual is not actually volume depleted comes from the sodium component. The elevated blood stream levels of sodium will actually result in an osmotic movement of water from tissues into the circulatory system of a person who is not dehydrated. Then the kidneys balance the electrolytes by excreting the extra sodium, and water goes with it. This is the reason that the old practice of giving salt tablets was so bad - the electrolyte imbalance could worsen dehydration, even causing some fatalities.

Gatorade and Powerade don't have dangerous amounts is sodium, but I'll agree that they are overused. In most cases of exercise, water replacement is all that's necessary. Of course, the emphasis on water consumption in recent years has greatly lessened the frequency of dehydration. I frequently see patients who are concerned that their polyuria is a problem, when they're simply drinking too much water.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Respectfully, I said

excess sugar will cause the kidneys to start removing it from the system.

I didn't say "sports drinks" make you urinate. (though of course they can)

You're a doctor, I'm not going to sit here and argue with you. I do know that if you drink several cups of coffee with lots of sugar in it. You *will* be visiting the urinal sooner rather than later.

 

[Doc50]

Respectfully, I said


I didn't say "sports drinks" make you urinate. (though of course they can)

You're a doctor, I'm not going to sit here and argue with you. I do know that if you drink several cups of coffee with lots of sugar in it. You *will* be visiting the urinal sooner rather than later.

Yes, and you are correct about what you're experiencing, of course, but the physisiology that you're assuming to explain the phenomenon is incorrect.

Ingestion of sugar but a non-diabetic will NOT cause hyperglycemia and a resultant diuresis.

 

[Biggems]

I do not consume

alcoholic beverages (don't like the taste of alcoholic drinks, plus I'd rather not risk alcoholism which runs in my family on both sides)
coffee beverages (nasty taste)
energy drinks (nasty taste, too acidic, leaves me super jittery)
sports drinks (not very tasty, but I will drink the grape flavor when I am sick and need hydration)
juice (gives me tons of acid reflux....though if I take some tums I can drink some high pulp OJ)
diet sodas (nasty flavor and fake sweeteners are very bad)
non-black tea drinks (flavor)

I do consume

water (preferably tap)
sweet black tea (plain, peach, strawberry)
Kool-Aid (grape, orange, black cherry, lemonade)
soda (Dr. Pepper, cola, root beer, sometime Sprite or 7-up)
smoothies (strawberry, peach, pineapple)
agua frescas (strawberry or pineapple)
milk shakes (vanilla or strawberry)
fruit slushes
milk (flavored)

 

[khiladi]

Useless study based on a questionaire... Tracing the brain injury to red bull is just speculation. For all we know, the brain injury could have been caused by alcohol. The fact that those that used more Red Bull could be indicative of a highly irresponsible lifestyle, such as partying all night and needing to wake themselves up to keep going.

That being said, it's easy to understand the risks of energy drinks via actual studies. People can suffer heart palpitations drinking them in high doses and so on.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I do not consume
alcoholic beverages (don't like the taste of alcoholic drinks, plus I'd rather not risk alcoholism which runs in my family on both sides)

I don't get this. alcoholic drinks come in ever damn flavor you can possibly think of. Many where you can't even taste the alcohol.

coffee beverages (nasty taste)

Starbucks sucks, but they do sell a coffee bean called Cafe Verona in grocery stores (in the shops too). It's good. If I drink coffee from a Starbucks shop, I need cream and sugar to cover the nasty Pike Place Roast flavor. Cafe Verona, I don't need either. It's just good with a smooth mild flavor. It's what I buy and make at home.

juice (gives me tons of acid reflux....though if I take some tums I can drink some high pulp OJ)

I have the same issue with some orange juice, but they make a low acid orange juice which is great.

Kool-Aid (grape, orange, black cherry, lemonade)

So you're the fool drinking all the Kool-Aid.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Useless study based on a questionaire... Tracing the brain injury to red bull is just speculation. For all we know, the brain injury could have been caused by alcohol. The fact that those that used more Red Bull could be indicative of a highly irresponsible lifestyle, such as partying all night and needing to wake themselves up to keep going.

That being said, it's easy to understand the risks of energy drinks via actual studies. People can suffer heart palpitations drinking them in high doses and so on.

Energy drinks are more dangerous than guns!