Do Energy Drinks Ruin Your Skin?

Caffeine is the most commonly-consumed drug worldwide, reports "National Geographic Magazine." One popular source of caffeine: energy drinks -- juice blends or sodas that often contain caffeine in combination with other ingredients, such as taurine or vitamins. While energy drinks' primary purpose is to increase alertness, the drinks can also have effects -- positive and negative -- on other tissues, including your skin.

Negative Effect of Sugar

The high sugar content of some allergy drinks might affect the health of your skin if you consume large quantities of the beverage. Drinking sugary energy drinks affect the levels of insulin in your blood, leading to a cycling of insulin levels. Insulin affects other hormones in your body, including hormones that control oil production in your skin, explains the Baylor College of Medicine. As a result, consistently drinking sugary energy drinks might lead to oily skin, increasing your risk of clogged pores and breakouts.

Possible Benefit of Caffeine

Other ingredients in energy drinks might benefit your skin. The caffeine in energy drinks can interact with a number of cells and tissues, including the cells in your skin. According to Rutgers University, caffeine has an effect on genes within your skin cells -- specifically, it affects the ATR gene, which helps prevent cancer development. As a result, consuming caffeine in moderation might reduce your risk of skin cancer. However, the efficacy of energy drinks for preventing skin cancer is not yet well understood.

Possible Benefit of Vitamins

Some energy drinks contain added vitamins, and consuming the drinks in moderation can contribute to your daily nutrient intake to help promote healthy skin. According to the University of Buffalo, several varieties of energy drinks contain B-vitamins -- nutrients important to healthy skin. Consuming B-vitamins helps your body produce energy needed to generate and maintain skin cells. Energy drinks that contain B-vitamins might also help prevent vitamin deficiencies, such as vitamin B-3 or B-5 deficiencies that cause skin disorders.

Considerations

As of February 2012, no evidence directly links energy drinks to skin disorders, though consuming large amounts of sugar -- such as by over-consuming sugary energy drinks -- might prove harmful to your skin. Some individuals might develop skin symptoms because of allergic reactions to specific ingredients in energy drinks and notice the growth of rashes or hives after consuming the beverages. If you notice abnormal skin irritation or the development of lesions after consuming energy drinks, consult your doctor to investigate the underlying cause.