Energy drinks...

[chappy]

What do you all think of using energy drinks? It seems that there are a lot of Paramedics & EMT's dropping from strokes and coronaries. I'm sure the fast food, eat on the run, lifestyle is a part, but do the energy drinks play a part as well?

For all of you pharmacology experts, what the effect of the caffeine and other stimulants in energy drinks is when combined with a good adrenaline rush?

What about the letdown when all the stimulants wear off?

[usmc_chris]

Red Bull drink lifts stroke risk: Australian study

According to this article, there is some correlation to increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, especially in the younger population. I can't seem to find an abstract of the original study, but perhaps my searching skills aren't as good agns others on here. I do know that the U.S. military published a pamphlet and poster warning service members of this when the study first came out, advising us to reduce consumption.

Coupling these effects with the stress of our job, I can't help but think that energy drinks compound the problem. Admittedly, I'm addicted to coffee, but that's where I draw the line. No energy drinks for me!

Edit: rereading the article, according the Red Bull employees anyways, the caffeine content is roughly equivalent to a regular cup of coffee anyways, so maybe just all caffeine is bad!

Edited June 4, 2011 by usmc_chris

[cosgrojo]

Back when I was a younger fella' and worked a gajillion hours of OT... I used to drink them. I found myself getting reliant on them, and eventually they didn't work anymore, which was very concerning. Went cold turkey and detoxed from them. A week and a half of chronic headaches later and a lot of proper hydration later, I was back to normal. I have no clinical research or studies to validate this claim... but I have found for me personally, if I remain properly hydrated throughout the day, and keep my blood sugar in normal ranges... I can turn it on any time of day or night.

Drink lot's of water... works for me.

[m0nster986]

If you do use... balance with good 'ol H2O.

Edited June 4, 2011 by m0nster986

[ERDoc]

Personally, I drink Rock Star, no-carb. I can't say it gives me any energy or I need it to keep me going. I just like the taste of it.

[maverick56]

Regularly? No. However, I do keep a few 5-hr Energy shots in my locker in case I'm up for a late night long-distance transfer. 911's I don't have a problem getting up and alert, it's the 6-hr plus road trips at 0300 that are brutal, especially when the pt is sleeping. And I have been known to drink a Monster now and then, but try to avoid it. I'm ADHD and my doc advised me to avoid them. For the most part, I drink water and the occasional Pepsi when I'm craving the taste.

[Eydawn]

Nope. Good old coffee and tea (mostly tea) and water do it for me, and I regularly work 10 hour overnight shifts with a sleep cycle that I switch back to "normal" on my off days.

Energy drinks scare me. Had a gal riding a mountain bike race over several passes here in CO who came up from Utah, decided to chug a 5 hour energy that she'd never had before, and boy she was a mess. Altitude + dehydration + 5 hour energy = whoops!

All that taurine and stuff is rough on your kidneys. My brother loves Red Bull, he digs the taste- I tolerate it but don't much care for them, so I don't seek them out.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[usalsfyre]

Not the healthiest things in the world, and I'm sure you'll find all sorts of people with horror stories, but just like most things in moderation they're probably fine.

I like Red Bull myself, taste better than the others (to me), plus it's my contribution to RBR winning another F1 constructors championship .

Edited June 4, 2011 by usalsfyre

[tniuqs]

EYEDAWN ... 110% agreed !

The whole "marketing concept" of energy drinks is misleading, they are simply stimulants, reading the label is highly advised. Vitamin B in 5 hour can be found in a thing called a proper diet.

Again: If one wants Energy try FOOD like the basic sugar's found in a thing called fruit. YES I know this term is strange to some .. but you get your vitamin C, roughage, pectin, and K+ and they taste like they are actually from nature. Personally I like these things called Oranges or Grapefruit ... very cost effective too

A cup of naturally derived caffeine like from coffee or tea have been proven not to be life changing either, when flying "E" call out in early dark AM, I would provide a few chocolate covered coffee beans to my pilots (they loved them) and I coined the term "Go Pills" no strokes or cardiac problems recorded.

OR continue to spend your very hard earned money being duped by multinational marketing schemes on very overpriced trendy garbage, ps the mark up on that shyte is over 90% profit alone ... MEH.

cheers

Edited June 4, 2011 by tniuqs

[chappy]

I love coffee beans!