Your liver is your body's main method of filtering toxins and other waste materials from your blood and assists other organs, such as your kidneys and bladder, in the removal of this waste. Energy drinks are marketed as a means to heighten your attention or concentration, but drinking these beverages in excess may actually do more harm than good, especially in the terms of your liver and kidneys.
Liver Function
According to MayoClinic.com, your liver is responsible for filtering waste materials from your blood as well as helping your body absorb nutrients from digested food you consume on a daily basis. Without your liver, you would not be able to accomplish these internal processes and you would become malnourished and unable to excrete harmful waste products. Maintaining a healthy liver is critical to your overall health and for staying alive.
Liver Effects
While consuming energy drinks alone will not damage your liver immediately, prolonged consumption of certain ingredients in popular energy drinks may have ill long-term effects on your liver. For example, many energy drinks contain herbal concentrate products like kava kava or taurine. An overabundance of either of these herbal supplements can lead to liver damage or liver failure, according to the University of Michigan Health System. For example, consuming large amounts of taurine may lead to complications in individuals with type-2 diabetes.
Considerations
Energy drinks, when used as directed or at least sparingly, typically present little to no health risk following consumption. But overconsumption can lead to a multitude of different medical concerns, like tooth decay, kidney dysfunction and liver problems. One of the most serious side effects is your body's inability to perceive how intoxicated you become when drinking energy beverages mixed with alcohol. This inability can cause increased risk of liver damage as you drink more alcohol.
Treatment
If you begin to feel pain in your abdomen or begin to experience skin discoloration after drinking energy beverages, stop and seek medical attention immediately -- this may be a sign of liver damage. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help alleviate your symptoms over time, but many liver conditions require some duration of a hospital stay for best results.
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