Overdose of energy drinks: caffeine and Co. Energy drink poisoning How to fall asleep after drinking energy drinks

Energy drinks are very popular, especially among young people. They help relieve fatigue, get rid of drowsiness. But often there is poisoning with energy drinks. How do energetics act on the body and how do they give miraculous energy?

What are energy drinks

Energy drinks are made from natural psychostimulants. The production of this drink was founded in 1984 by Red Bull. It proved so popular that Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola began producing it.
Now energy drinks are sold in kiosks, supermarkets, clubs and bars. Manufacturers position them as a means to combat fatigue. These drinks do not contain alcohol at all. Therefore, many people - intensively engaged in mental activity, lovers of sports and club dances, students during the session are so "addicted" to energy drinks that they have already become dependent on them.

Energy drinks Adrenalin Rush from PepsiCo, Red Bull and Bullit from Red Bull and Burn from Coca-Cola are sold in Russia. The Happyland association offers low-alcohol energy drinks - the Dutch Red Devil and the British Jaguar.

Any energy drink tastes a bit like lemonade with a tart, sour taste.

The composition of all energy drinks is similar:

It is difficult to list all the elements. Almost the entire periodic table is included in the energy bank. Caffeine-like substances accelerate blood, vitamins and other “energy” substances, speed up metabolism, break down carbohydrates, and actively affect the functioning of the brain and muscles.

How does an overdose happen?

Often, many young people use energy drinks - as a tribute to fashion. Bright advertising of energy drinks makes you want to try them. Unknowing people consider these drinks to be benign products that contain vitamins and amino acids, harmless energy substances from natural ingredients. It really is. But their concentration is so high that energy drinks become dangerous for human health. They are especially dangerous when the dose is exceeded. Due to an overdose, various side effects appear.

Do not use energy drinks for people who are sensitive to caffeine, teenagers, pregnant women, people over 50 years old. They are harmful to people with cardiovascular disease, glaucoma. They are dangerous with increased excitability, insomnia.

Symptoms of poisoning

Symptoms of an overdose of energy drinks include:

After taking the energy drink, the nervous system is excited and therefore the desire to sleep disappears, the feeling of fatigue disappears without a trace. Vivacity appears, increased efficiency, mood rises. But after the termination of the action of the energy comes fatigue, insomnia, depression, irritability, as it simply helped a person to “borrow” their own resources.

Over time, the nervous and cardiovascular systems begin to loosen, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract appear. An overdose can lead to unpredictable things. Students who abuse energy drinks during a session often get mentally disturbed. Usually those who have experienced an overdose of energy drinks describe their sensations as extremely unpleasant. Sometimes sudden death from cardiac arrest can occur.

First aid and treatment

According to the latest research, people who consume energy drinks poison their brain cells.

Realizing that an overdose of energy drinks has occurred, you should stop using them and go out into the fresh air. If you feel sick, take Activated carbon and induce vomiting. You can neutralize caffeine by drinking green tea or milk, cream. Eat foods high in magnesium, it is found in cabbage, beans, avocados.

If, due to an overdose, a person has lost consciousness, or is in a blurred consciousness, it is required to ensure that he breathes freely and call an ambulance. Do not leave the victim alone until the arrival of doctors.

In the hospital, such patients usually undergo a gastric lavage, put a dropper.

Energy drinks are not a substitute for rest and sleep, they just help you get through an emergency. Their regular use causes great harm to the human body.

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Energy drinks are gaining popularity among teens and young adults, and doctors continue to count the toll on the health of a new generation.

A new study found that energy drinks in doses from two cans a day are dangerous for the cardiovascular system.

Such doses of stimulants can cause tachycardia, chest pain and more serious problems requiring hospitalization, scientists say.

In the United States, 31% of teenagers aged 12-17 regularly indulge in energy drinks, while among youth aged 18-24 there are already 34%. US CDC experts are very alarmed by these figures.

“Energy drinks have become too popular in the last decade. Half of the consumers buy energy drinks to overcome fatigue, increase concentration and attention, mainly for nightly activities and entertainment,” says Dr. Ian Musgrave, a pharmacologist at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

In the latest issue of the International Journal of Cardiology, scientists said that caffeine and other herbal stimulants added to such drinks pose a serious threat to the cardiovascular system, not to mention sugar and synthetic additives.

The more the more dangerous

A study of the effects of energy drinks was conducted on patients admitted to South Australia's emergency departments in 2014-2015.

According to the authors, 70% of young patients with tachycardia and chest pain had previously consumed some kind of energy drink, and 36% of them did so within 24 hours before hospitalization. Many managed to drink 5 cans of energy drinks, and a few unique ones managed to consume 12 cans per day!

Researchers have calculated that the risk of serious side effects increases dramatically with the use of 2 or more cans of energy drinks per day. One jar for most people passes without consequences, but the authors strongly advise not to check this day after day.

Energy drink + alcohol = heart attack

Dr. Musgrave says that drinks with alcohol and caffeine are the worst tolerated.

In November 2010, the FDA warned seven manufacturing companies that their products would be removed from the US market due to health risks. FDA experts were concerned that the manufacturers' claims about the safety of such drinks were incorrect and misleading the consumer.

“The first problem is that alcohol deprives you of the ability to make informed decisions about taking energy drinks. The second problem is that alcohol slows down the metabolism of caffeine, due to which the concentration of this alkaloid in the blood can reach huge values,” Musgrave warns.

According to Australian scientists, combined drinks with alcohol and caffeine should be banned.

“It is unlikely that you want to drink seven cups of espresso one after another, but a can of energy drink is welcome. Meanwhile, it contains exactly the same amount of caffeine. It is risky even for a healthy person, not to mention people with cardiac problems,” they say.

An overdose of energy drinks is more often diagnosed in young people who prefer to compensate for the depletion of the body with such products. A disproportionate volume provokes poisoning, sometimes leading to serious consequences. Several deaths have been officially registered.

Composition of energy drinks

The action is based on psychostimulants. Each view contains the following components:

Caffeine. Relieves drowsiness, fatigue, stimulates the heart muscle.
Mate. The effect is similar to coffee.
Guarana and ginseng. They produce the same effect as caffeine.
Glucose and sucrose. They break down quickly, replenishing the energy expended by the body.
Taurine. Accelerates metabolism, improves the conductivity of nerve fibers.
Theobromine. Despite the toxicity of the substance, after chemical treatment it is used as a tonic.
B vitamins.
Phenylalanine. aromatic amino acid.
Carbonic acid. Makes the drink carbonated.

The composition may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer. Usually we are talking about dyes and flavorings.

Types of power engineers

Subdivided into several characteristic types:

Entertainment. Contains some alcohol.
Vitaminized. They are distinguished by an increased concentration of seemingly useful components.
Sports. Designed to quickly restore the forces expended during physical exertion.
Energy. It definitely contains caffeine.

The impact of energy on the human body

As a rule, consumers are of the opinion that by drinking the products of a well-known company, they replenish resources. However, it has been proven that hidden reserves of the body are used for this. As a result of use, a negative effect is exerted on the endocrine, cardiovascular and nervous systems. A stressful state develops, provoking an excessive release of adrenaline. Therefore, the tone rises, and internal reserves are exhausted.

Sometimes the natural consequence is poisoning. It happens for the following reasons:

Overdose. No more than 500 ml per day is recommended.
The constant use of caffeine gradually provokes a habit and more volume is needed for "encouraging".
Overestimation of B vitamins negatively affects the central nervous system, heart muscle.
The presence of acids causes gastritis and peptic ulcer.

The duration of the effect is 5-6 hours. Then apathy, fatigue, symptoms of nervous overexcitation are noted.

There are contraindications to drinks:

pregnancy;
old age;
intense loads;
kidney disease;
diabetes;
tendency to form blood clots;
hypertension;
glaucoma;
CNS problems;
violations of the blood flow of the brain;
insomnia.

It is forbidden to use under 18 years of age.

Especially dangerous are energy drinks in combination with alcohol. In this case, a person does not control the amount of alcohol consumed, which provokes serious alcohol poisoning.

Does it get addictive?

According to studies, products such as Adrenaline Rush and other tonics are addictive, similar to the use of drugs. It is extremely difficult to get rid of such a habit.

That is why, in accordance with the law of the Russian Federation, it is forbidden to sell in schools. Restrictions also apply to the composition - there should not be more than 2 components that have a psychotropic effect.

Symptoms of poisoning

In case of an overdose of energy drinks, a characteristic clinical picture develops:

The heart rate increases.
There is insomnia.
The person is irritable.
The skin of the face turns red.
The blood pressure rises.
There are problems with the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract.
Tremor is noted.
Motility is difficult.
Increased emptying of the bladder.
Often there is diarrhea.
Damage to the walls of the stomach by acids causes burning and pain in the epigastrium.
Cold sweat breaks out.
There is also temperature.

In acute poisoning, profuse vomiting is observed. Consciousness becomes confused, hallucinations develop. Possible fainting.

Lethal dose

If caffeine is present in an energy drink, it is considered dangerous to consume 70 cans of 500 ml for a person with a body weight of 70 kg. The tragedy is likely when the permissible norm is exceeded, equal to 10–15 g. It would seem that a lethal outcome is impossible.

In fact, a much smaller amount leads to intoxication. It depends on the characteristics of the body, the presence of chronic pathologies. Sometimes 2-3 containers are enough for severe poisoning.

First aid

If you experience signs of an overdose with an energy drink, you need to call the SMP. At home, it is advisable to perform procedures that will alleviate the condition of the victim:

Provide access to fresh air, unfasten clothing that restricts breathing.
Provoke artificial vomiting.
Take a sorbent, such as activated charcoal.
With a mild degree of overdose, it is recommended to neutralize caffeine by drinking cream, milk, green tea, eating avocados, beans, cabbage.

Inpatient treatment is indicated for patients with loss of consciousness, tachycardia, high blood pressure.

Scientists have proven that energy drinks poison brain cells.

Antidote

Emergency physicians with serious intoxication use an antidote that reduces the effect of caffeine and its derivatives. Apply Aminazin, Enap.

Treatment Methods

Energy poisoning requires gastric lavage. If the procedure is not performed at home, cleansing is done in a hospital.

The main directions of therapy are the elimination of toxic compounds, determining the degree of damage to internal organs, the central nervous system, and restoring functionality.

Possible consequences

With the systematic use of energy drinks and an overdose, the following complications are likely:

Sudden loss of consciousness is the cause of severe injuries, and sometimes death.
Hearing gets worse.
Convulsions often appear.
Bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract develops.
Pregnant women are prone to miscarriage.
Characterized by depression, mental disorders, suicidal thoughts, phobias.
The concentration of attention decreases, which affects performance.
There is an arrhythmia.
There is an addiction.

Fatal outcome is more often stated after an overdose in adolescents.

Prevention

It is enough to follow simple rules to prevent intoxication:

Do not take more than 500 ml of an energy drink per day.
Do not use after significant physical exertion.
Do not use with tea, coffee, alcohol.
Do not use such products if there are contraindications.

It is worth remembering that addiction to tonics causes great harm to the body. In some European countries, free sale is prohibited. Energy drinks are released only in pharmacies, as they are equated to biological supplements.

Energy drinks are non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks that have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. After drinking the first jar, a long-awaited relief and the ability to work at an accelerated pace appear. This is a real salvation for a student, an office worker, an athlete, a driver, a nightclub visitor, as well as just tired people who want to improve their body tone. It seems to everyone that energy drinks are a modern invention. However, many of their constituents have been used as stimulants since ancient times.

But few people know that an overdose of energy drinks leads to a rapid depletion of the body's resources. Let's take a closer look at this issue and find out energy drinks - is it harm or benefit to the body? What kind of symptoms will be with an overdose of energy drinks and what first aid methods will be needed if necessary.

Composition of energy drinks

Manufacturers of energy drinks insist that their drinks bring only benefits and come up with new tastes every day. What are the active ingredients in energy drinks?

Caffeine. This component is part of almost all energy drinks. It acts on the body as a stimulant.
Taurine. One can of the drink contains 400-1000 mg of the substance. This is a sulfonic acid that accumulates in muscle tissue. It is used as a dietary supplement. It is credited with antioxidant properties. According to medical data, taurine has no effect on the body.
L-carnitine. It is used to enhance metabolism and reduce fatigue. It is worth noting that this substance is independently produced by the body in sufficient quantities.
Guarana and ginseng are pharmaceutical plants that have biostimulating, general tonic effects.
Vitamins of group B. Used to activate metabolic processes.
Melatonin to adjust the daily rhythms of the body, regulate the work of brain cells.
Matein. A substance found in mate tea from South America. The extract of an ancient tree copes with the feeling of hunger and eliminates excess weight.

In addition, almost all energy drinks are highly carbonated and contain a huge amount of carbonic acid.

Types of power engineers

Tonic drinks were used in the early stages of the development of civilization. Ancient energy drinks were classified as natural stimulants. Tea, herbs, coca leaves were used as energy drinks.

Modern energy drinks are of the following types:

The harm of energy drinks on the human body

Many people think that the body's resources are replenished from the use of energy drinks, while the harm of energy drinks on the human body with excessive use has long been proven by scientists. The energy drink stimulates the work of the cardiac, nervous and endocrine systems. As a result of use, the body experiences stress and begins to work at a double speed, releasing adrenaline into the blood. In this state, the resource of internal organs decreases, and the tone of the body increases.

We must not forget that there are certain contraindications to the use of energy drinks:

Symptoms of energy poisoning

After drinking an energy drink, the nervous system is excited, the ability to work, cheerfulness, and mood are increased. After the termination of the stimulant, fatigue, irritation, depression come and the person begins to drink the energy drink again, which is absolutely impossible to do.

From excessive consumption of energy drinks and exceeding the recommended daily allowance, the following overdose symptoms may appear:

Over time, with the frequent use of energy drinks, the nervous system is loosened, and an upset of the gastrointestinal tract appears. With frequent overdose, a person may experience a mental disorder. In rare cases, with a severe overdose of energy drinks, deaths from cardiac arrest have been noted.

First aid for energy drink poisoning

If, after drinking an energy drink, a person becomes ill, he needs to provide first aid. In severe cases, you need to take the patient to a medical facility.

Clear the stomach of the remnants of the drink, causing vomiting.
Provide access to fresh air.
Taking sorbents and drinking plenty of water will help the body cleanse itself faster.
If a person becomes very ill, he has a rapid heartbeat, a red face, high blood pressure, or he has lost consciousness, then do not hesitate - call an ambulance.

You can consume energy drinks, but not on a regular basis, in recommended doses, when a person is completely healthy, has no contraindications and chronic diseases.

I am a shameless pig - I have people on my blog here, and I beat the buckets =). Laziness is the main ailment that crippled my enthusiasm. But, as they say, for every action there is a reaction. For me, the cure for laziness, at the moment, is you, my dear readers. I don’t know how it happened, but the search engines gave me a plus and the great uncle Google dumped on a whole bunch (on a modest scale) of targeted traffic, which I am immensely happy about.

Okay, now to the point. Summer! Here, actually, and it. What can you say? Unexpected =). Ahead of 3 months of complete separation, warm days, the sea, summer terraces and other delights of this time of year. And, of course, the mass of sleepless nights, which then result in very, I must say, difficult morning hours. The body will gradually deplete, require more energy, but people deal with this problem quickly. Someone will get hooked on coffee, someone will prefer to take time to sleep, and someone will simply start pouring liters of energy drinks into themselves, bringing their body to the limit of its capabilities. Today, I would just like to pay attention to the issue of energy drinks, namely, their overdose.

Working at the bar for 15 hours and getting only 4-5 hours of sleep, I know firsthand what a subnet for energy is. Sometimes they really save - they tone up for a couple of hours, bring the body into at least some order. But, sooner or later, you cease to feel the measure, and the so-called medicine turns against you. I’ll start, perhaps, with the basics, namely, what are energy drinks and how do they affect the body?

According to one of the wiki authors, energy drinks are non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks, advertising which promotes their ability to stimulate the physical and intellectual abilities of a person (not literally). Be that as it may, an energy drink is, first of all, a mixture of chemical components that affect the functioning of the human body. In principle, substances that tone the body have been known to the population of our planet for a long time. In the East, in Asia they are dispersed by tea, in South America by an unusual mate drink, which I will definitely mention, in Africa there are kola nuts. In the North-Eastern part of Asia, the people are addicted to various stimulant plants: ginseng, eleutherococcus, Chinese magnolia vine and aralia.

The very first energy drinks appeared at the end of the 20th century, when the “inspiring” Red Bull hit the market. Of course, the Pepsi and Cola conglomerates immediately sensed the threat and started producing their own energy drinks - Burn and Adrenaline Rush. Today, with energy drinks, everything is not as smooth as it used to be. A couple overdoses, a couple deaths and government different countries sensed a threat. In some countries, energy drinks can only be bought at a pharmacy, in Russia there is a whole article of the law that specifies restrictions on components and sale rules.

The composition of all power engineers is approximately the same. At the origins lie sucrose and glucose. Sucrose is a regular sugar and is broken down into carbohydrates - the main source of energy for the body. Glucose is quickly absorbed into the blood and supplies energy to all vital organs. Glucose is also closely related to adrenaline, which is known to stimulate the cardiovascular system. Tonic substances are caffeine(matein, thein, etc.) , theobromine(cacao alkaloid) , taurine, guarana, carnitine and many others. Energy drinks also contain a high dose of vitamins.

Caffeine- the most popular component of energy drinks, which is a powerful psychostimulant. It gives a temporary effect (about 1-2 hours) - relieves fatigue, drowsiness, speeds up the pulse, etc.

Studies have shown that among people who regularly drink coffee, the number of suicides is significantly lower than among those who neglect this drink.

Theobromine- cocoa alkaloid, which is contained in small doses even in chocolate. In principle, the substance is poisonous, but after chemical treatment it completely tones itself.

Taurine- a derivative element from cysteine (amino acids). Stimulates the activity of the nervous system, speeds up metabolism, etc. Synthesized in the body on its own.

Carnitine- something like a B vitamin. It is synthesized in the body on its own and affects metabolism.

Ginseng and guarana are natural stimulants found in plants. They contain the same caffeine, so the effect is similar.

Mate- contains mateine, which has the same effect as coffee.

In general, you can list forever. In one bank, energy is almost the entire periodic table. How all these components work, I think, is not worth telling. In a nutshell, caffeine-like substances accelerate the blood, which already contains a shock dose of vitamins and other “energy” substances that speed up metabolism, the breakdown of carbohydrates, the work of the brain and muscles. But this, in fact, is the removal of a large amount of energy from the body overnight, after which total fatigue sets in.

Energy overdose syndromes

You can get an overdose from any product, whatever one may say. But going out into the street, seeing the bright advertisements of Red Bull and other energy drinks, immediately there is a desire to follow the crowd. As a result, energy drinks are consumed as a fashion statement, not as a necessity. And they are used, I must say, in exorbitant quantities. One can of Red Bull contains more than 2 daily doses of caffeine, an exorbitant amount of taurine (400 mg) and even nicotinic acid, which is mildly addictive. In fact, you can drink only 1 can of 250 ml per day, but we, as a rule, are content with at least three. With coffee, the situation is the same - a cup in the morning, then another, then another, and then an overdose.

insomnia;
irritability;
redness of the face;
rapid pulse;
digestive tract disorder;
tremor (when your hands and everything else is cowardly);
cold sweat;
a period of restlessness;
increased anxiety, etc.

I got my first overdose of coffee while working at Caffeine - about 6 cups were enough for me. Then the guys were preparing for the championship of Ukraine, and I had the honor of being a taster - a part-time waiter. The most obvious sign of a caffeine overdose is tremor and cold sweat, total fatigue, and lack of concentration. So, how to deal with it?

What to do with an overdose of caffeine, taurine, guarana and other components of energy drinks

Of course, you should stop, in the sense, put the next jar of energy or a cup of coffee aside.
Provide yourself with fresh air.
Excess B vitamins are easily excreted in the urine, so drink plenty of fluids. In principle, any overdose of vitamins is eliminated by drinking plenty of water and stopping the use of these vitamins.
Caffeine is neutralized by green tea (due to flavonoids), protein (cream, milk) and foods rich in magnesium. I took off my overdose of coffee with milk and meat - as if by hand. This method was suggested to me by Val, a barista with many years of experience.
The accelerating effect of energy drinks, oddly enough, can be slowed down with alcohol, with the calculation of 50 ml in terms of pure alcohol. The same rule has another side - some symptoms of alcohol overdose can be neutralized with a cup of coffee. For the same reason, you should not use energy drinks together with alcohol. The power engineer masks the harm of alcohol - for this reason, you can get very severe alcohol poisoning (another fad for an article about).

Gag

Drink the right energy drinks. Here I don’t mean specific manufacturers (by the way, Burn contains the largest amount of caffeine, guarana and taurine in comparison with other brands). It is better to stimulate yourself with natural substances - brew mate, drink tinctures of natural stimulants (eleutherococcus, ginseng, guarana), coffee, tea (tea also contains caffeine, even green tea), cocoa. I have personally tested mate - it stimulates, dulls the feeling of hunger, tones. Last summer, I periodically drank tincture of Eleutherococcus - excellent. Also tested not by me, but by a good friend, ginseng tincture - helped him survive at the bar during the summer.

Well, happy first day of summer to you, my dear readers. Have a wonderful holiday, warm sea, delicious drinks. Relax with the mind and taste, and the mood will follow by itself =)

P.S. What happens when there is too much coffee?