Energy Drink Ingredients

Nowadays, energy drinks have become common choice of beverages. Sugar and caffeine are the two major ingredients in energy drinks. Ingredients in the energy drinks are legal ingredients which are added to give an instant energy boost. What are these energy drinks made of? How can you get charged up right away after drinking these energy drinks? These drinks are commonly known as soft drinks. Let us discuss the energy drink ingredients.

Caffeine
Most of the energy drinks contain caffeine as a main ingredient. The medical name of caffeine is trimethylxanthine. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and increases the heart rate. It also acts as a mild diuretic (increases urine production in the body). Caffeine stimulates the human brain and is an addictive ingredient in energy drinks.

Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid which increases the effect of caffeine. Taurine is also an effective cardiac stimulator. This amino acid is naturally secreted by the human body which regulates the heart rate, muscle contractions and energy levels of the body.

Guarana
Guarana is a major source of caffeine and is a climbing plant. The seeds of the fruits of Guarana has three times more caffeine than that contained in the coffee beans. This energy drink ingredient increases the metabolic rate of the human body and helps in reducing weight.

Ginseng
Ginseng is a herb which increases the energy levels in the human body. It has anti-fatigue components that help to reduce stress. Ginseng is said to stimulate the nervous system to increase the overall stamina of the body and increase the secretion of hormones in the body. There are some adverse side-effects of Ginseng on the human body. These effects are headache and diarrhea which are likely to happen if Ginseng is consumed along with caffeine.

Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba comes from a rare tree and is an anti-depressant. This energy drink ingredient increases concentration and blood circulation in the body. However, if this ingredient is consumed when you are already on anti-depressant medicines, it has major side-effects on the body. These side effects include diarrhea, palpitation and headache.

Vitamins
Inositol is a classified member of the Vitamin B complex and is said to increase the immunity of the body. Antioxidants are the scavengers of free radicals and Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant.

Sugars
Sugars are the source of glucose for the human body and is the major ingredient in energy drinks. Carbohydrates is an essential requirement of the human body which helps maintain the body functions. Glucose is used up by the body to perform digestion, breathing and in exercises, like, cycling, walking and swimming. This energy drink ingredient is harmful for the people suffering from diabetes.

Acai Berry
Acai berry is another energy drink ingredient which is a rich source of antioxidants. The Acai Berry palm trees are usually seen in South America. They are one of the ingredients of the energy drinks.

Creatine
This is an ingredient in the many energy drinks and in products which are specially made for body building.

Health Dangers of Energy Drink Ingredients
Many people indulge in mixing the energy drinks with alcohol. This has dangerous side-effects on the body. Excessive intake of these beverages is also harmful for the human body. Caffeine when consumed in large quantities has adverse effects on the body. It leads to increase the urine production of the kidneys which causes dehydration. Insomnia and anxiety attacks are the adverse effects of excessive caffeine intake. Excessive sugar in these energy drinks is harmful for the people suffering from diabetes. Sugar and caffeine are the active ingredients in energy drinks. Some of these ingredients do not provide essential nutrients to the body. These are the hazards of energy drinks due to the energy drink ingredients.