Twokinds ARCHIVE Forums

Okay, this topic is more delving into a health / experience subject on energy drinks. Right now, I'm typing this at stupidly faster speeds than I normally would simply because I'm jacked up on 4 energy drinks (2 Amps, an Arizona Energy Drink, and a Red Bull)...

What's your take on the health aspects of these? Do some treat these like cigarettes? And what kind of health issues have you heard in the past regarding the use of them? Can they be as addictive? And what sort of experiences do you get from taking large quantities?

I can take it from my experience right now, panting at rather health questioning speeds, that I feel like I've got the energy to wrestle gators and bulls with my bare hands.

Blech. I'm shaky enough without it. Energy drinks just make me jittery.See, that's bad.

When I was in high school, they were like candy for me. I'd have one or two a day. Well, just caffeine in general. It wasn't until I went cold turkey that I realized how much I craved it. It took me a few weeks to get over it, and I had the worst head aches.

The reason it's so addictive it because -- surprise -- it's a drug. Well, a stimulant to be exact; so are cocaine and nicotine, which tells you just how addictive it can be. Caffeine speeds up your Central Nervous System, but it doesn't actually give you any energy. It just fools your body into feeling energetic, but does nothing to increase your reserves.

Nowadays, I do use them, but sparingly. I've all but given up caffeine, and most soda in general. So, when I need to stay awake for a few more hours, I will drink one. Because I rarely have caffeine, my body reacts very well to the stimulant, and I'm wide awake for at least 8 more hours.

Typically, I can actually sleep even under the effects of an energy drink. (Unless of course I've either had as much as I've had today or I've had one, coupled with a night of insomnia.)

Ever since the local dollar store started selling Amps for a buck, I keep coming back because of such a great deal, so I've been getting them more frequently than normal. But in a way, this is a good thing. My muscles tend to give out on me on my typical days of heavy biking throughout the city for exercise, but with this much caffeine in my system, I never feel the fatigue and my muscles don't wimp out on me. (Plus I get the right carbohydrates in me and I'm flyin'.) I find the two make a very nice combination so long as it's all burnt in exercise.

They are not the best thing for a person, but neither are, as you bring up, cigarettes, which are perfectly legal. As to the drug quality, I've met a man like that. Old DM of mine, real bad addict. He would constantly need one, or ended up with headaches and grouchyness.

Also with him, I saw the increase in drug intake for the same results. The man drank Redlines, an energy drink that actually requires you to be 18 before you can buy them. He was pretty far in.


Oh, and as Ryu brought up, you have no more energy in you actual body, you just don't notice that you have no more. I'd advise you check by lowering your caffeine for awhile if you're doing any damage to your muscles with all that exercise.

Energy drinks are a poor source of carbs. If you need energy, just eat some pasta. I understand how much biking can take out of you, I really do, but you're not doing your body any favors by artificially boosting your energy. You can reduce lactic acid by eating bread or drinking a soda afterwords (or anything with simple sugars) but you can't do too much for energy during your ride.

Besides, if you don't want sore muscles, just drop cycling and pick up checkers.

I'd go limp and goo without the exercise. No way I'd ever drop it, especially since I'm joining the military real soon.

Also, I don't get the carbs from the drinks, nah. I get it from the rice I eat. Great source of simple carbs (the right kind) as opposed to complex carbs (the bad kind).

About the only reason I take the energy drinks are A: taste real good. And B: Allows me to keep going when my body gets lazy on me and wants to sit for hours on end. Typically, I shouldn't take them, this I'm aware of, but I need to jumpstart things a lot. Slow metabolism and all. Causes for very poor workout results at first. Basically need it to speed up the metabolic start up process and burn this fat I'm working off lately. (Another trick I'm doing is keeping sodium intake at a low level. It traps the sweat and toxins in the body. Like a preservative almost. O_o; )

You need to excercise without it even more then, because you'll need to know your actual, unmodified limits. I can't say for sure, but I'm betting an energy drink before a PFA would be bad.This is called your limits. Generally you should push these without drugs to actually get better. :P That's my view anyway. Dunno how right it is.Trust me, military will burn fat off of you. I've only been in AFROTC for a couple of months and I've already lost 13 pounds. :D

haha i have been drinking them for about 3 years now. I used to be real bad...2-3 spike shooters a day..the can says not to buy if your under 18....not to excede one daily...all that stuff...not like I listened...i was reall bad. I have cut down...maybe 1 spike a week...or whatever i can get my hands on. I do miss the taste =\ That's the main reason i bought them was for the taste. Spike is like candy (no joke) and the rest are just plain good. NOS Spike and Red Bull being my top 3....venom and SoBe are about tied with Red Bull too. Personally...I know there horrable for anyone's body (i heard it makes your blood sticky...) but i still drink them...just alot less. And im quitting on the taurine and stuff like that...if you dont know what it is dont look it up. I have basicly been coffee and spike when i really want a jolt and a good taste...SoBe and all those. A few people were making jokes about me and talking to me last time i made an energy drink run...about 2 weeks ago...went in and bought almost $70 of energy drinks. so far i have not gone thru even half. Since i have started to drink loads less this 70 a month isnt to bad...to bad im almost broke and my parents have banned them...sneaking them is hard...but yea i drink them for the taste...Spike for the taste and kick...when i get to my third I start to shake...XD its awesome...usually i only have them when i have not slept cause i was working on projects late or I have a show that i want to be ultra hyper for. XD

Trick with me, DK, is that I'm presently overweight for them to accept me. That's why I'm burning the stuff like it's nobody's business. Gotta get to that 200 mark for them to accept me and I'm quickly charging my way to that milestone. |D

In my experiences, there is one way to lose weight that is better than any other -- swimming. It's a full body workout, and anyone who says differently is lying. I used to bike 200 - 300 miles a week during the summer, but after just 1 mile of swimming, I was reduced to a quivering pile of jelly. There is no weight loss program better than swimming (plus, it's low impact).

Aside from the fact that they all taste horrible... They just don't work on me. At least, they have no noticeable effect.

Absolutely true there, Ryusen. Shame my pool is really messed up at the moment or I would do just that for like, 2 hours. My other thing is, it's difficult to keep me doing one very basic thing for extended periods of time without getting horribly bored. Bicycling, I get to go places and am often entertained at the environment around me. Plus, I have friends who are willing to ride with me at times, making the experience much longer and enjoyable. I tend to spend entire days at it. (Why I'm not at my target by now is a mystery to me... Even with my effective diet of rice, fish, and broiled chicken, eating proper proportions, monitoring caloric intake, etc...)

Mmm I don't touch energy drinks, the taste is alright I guess, they just don't do anything for me. Have never made me feel more awake, just a waste of money. For what I spend on 1 energy drink I can get a decent amount of tea, which to me tastes better and actually does something.