Beverage makers offer a wide variety of energy drinks. The SoBe Company discontinued its popular “Adrenaline Rush” line, but the drinks remain available in certain locations. Nicknamed “Arush,” Adrenaline Rush featured the active ingredients found in most sports drinks. According to www.overcaffeinated.org, the product contained caffeine, guarana, ginseng and carnitine. These substances cause side effects in some people. Talk to your doctor before consuming energy drinks.
Caffeine
People often drink caffeinated beverages to combat the fatigue associated with sleep deprivation. Caffeine increases alertness during the first few hours after intake, according to an August 2011 report in “Physiology and Behavior.” Caffeine also improves mood, but using it regularly can have negative consequences. A study described in the August 1998 edition of “Physiology and Behavior” looked at the effect of caffeine withdrawal. Habitual caffeine users did not receive any caffeine for a day. This small change in routine caused large changes in behavior. Relative to controls, subjects not given their usual caffeine performed worse and felt more fatigued.
Guarana
Extracts from the Paullinia cupana plant -– known as guarana -– have an alerting effect similar to caffeine. Guarana helps cancer patients to manage the fatigue caused by chemotherapy, according to a June 2011 article in the “Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.” Yet, guarana can also cause side effects. An experiment published in the February 2011 issue of “Phytotherapy Research” evaluated the long-term effect of guarana use. People who had used the stimulant for years were less likely to have symptoms of diabetes. They did, however, have higher blood pressure than controls.
Ginseng
Ancient healers used ginseng to treat a broad range of ailments. Modern researchers have documented many of these positive effects. American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, improves cancer-related fatigue, according to a February 2010 report in “Support Care in Cancer.” Ginseng, however, might produce unwanted chemical reactions in your body. An investigation offered in the April 2009 edition of the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition” measured the physiological impact of ginseng on postmenopausal women. Participants took ginseng daily for four months. Relative to controls, women given the supplement had a higher level of oxidation. Such a change suggests that ginseng may increase aging.
Carnitine
Supplement makers tout carnitine as a weight loss product, yet little data support this use. Carnitine does, however, provide your body with additional energy. People with depression feel less fatigued while taking the supplement, according to a November 2004 paper in the "Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences." These benefits may come at a price. A clinical trial offered in the June 2000 issue of the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism" tested carnitine's effects on overweight women. Daily use of the supplement for eight weeks failed to improve body composition. More concerning, about 40 percent of the patients experienced nausea and diarrhea.
References
- www.overcaffeinated.org: SoBe Adrenaline Rush Information
- “Physiology and Behavior”; Differential Contributions of Theobromine and Caffeine on Mood, Psychomotor Performance and Blood Pressure; E. Siobhan Mitchell, et al.; August 2011
- “Physiology and Behavior”; Caffeine Deprivation Affects Vigilance Performance and Mood; J.D. Lane and B.G. Phillips-Bute; August 1998
- “Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine”; Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Improves Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Systemic Chemotherapy; Maira Paschoin de Oliveira Campos, et al.; June 2011
- “Phytotherapy Research”; Habitual Intake of Guarana and Metabolic Morbidities; C. Costa Krewer, et al.; February 2011
- “Support Care in Cancer”; Pilot Study of Panax Quinquefolius (American Ginseng) to Improve Cancer-Related Fatigue; Debra L. Barton, et al.; February 2010
- “Journal of the American College of Nutrition”; American Ginseng Supplementation Induces an Oxidative Stress in Postmenopausal Women; Jonathan R. Dickman, et al.; April 2009
- “Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences”; L-Carnitine Supplementation for the Treatment of Fatigue and Depressed Mood in Cancer Patients With Carnitine Deficiency; Ricardo A. Cruciani, et al.; November 2004
- “International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism”; L-Carnitine Supplementation Combined With Aerobic Training Does Not Promote Weight Loss in Moderately Obese Women; Rudolph G. Villani, et al.; June 2000
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