The Buzz Behind Energy Drinks

Essay: Argument – Synthesis
Word Count: 977

The Buzz Behind Energy Drinks
Many people drink energy drinks every day without knowing the negative effects it can actually have on them.   Although society consistently chooses to drink energy drinks, proven by the rapid increase in sales since the year 2000, they are extremely damaging to our health. Energy drinks are responsible for numerous unwanted negative effects such as: feeling twitchy or jittery, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, irritability and a decrease in concentration. For these reasons no one should use energy drinks, especially not on a regular basis. Energy drinks contain too much caffeine and does not give you energy, but instead a caffeine buzz which leads to unwanted effects.
When looking at these energy drinks in the store, you have to remember that not everything they label is true. Simon Benlow mentions this in his article Intoxitwitching, when he states “If all this were true, Red Bull would be more than an energy drink; it’d be a superhero serum” (735). People need to realize that what they see advertised on the bottle is not true or even possible. Again, Benlow says “Anything that quickens reaction time and increases the metabolism is bound to decrease concentration” (735). The decrease of concentration is said to be caused by the alertness and twitchiness from the energy drinks. Do not get being alert and having twitchy reflexes confused with energy, they are not the same thing. To me this sounds like something people should not be using so regularly. Daniel Trabulo, Susana Marques and Ermelinda Pedroso all wrote the article Caffeinated energy drink intoxication, they stated that “energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and other additives that act as stimulants” (1). This agrees with Benlows article Intoxitwitching: The Energy Drink Buzz when he says “They have maximized caffeine and sugar”(1).
It is often argued by people who drink...