Everyone has seen the large cans of energy drinks in the convenience stores with their bright colors and catchy slogans. But what looks to be a harmless beverage, experts say is actually dangerous.
Current freshman at Midland University, graduate of Rider High School’s Class of 2011, Sammy Hislop, knows this a little better then most.
“I used to drink two or three trucker sized cans everyday,” Sammy said.
These sugar filled drinks are appealing to this generation because of their taste.
“I drank them because they tasted amazing,” Sammy said. “I’ve tried almost every kind, Redbull, Monster, Nos, Rockstar. You name it, I tried it.”
Although the can reads “hours of energy now with no crash later,” that isn’t necessarily true.
“They made me feel energized for a couple hours, then I started to get dehydrated and really bad headaches.”
Some people believe these sugar filled drinks make consumers crash and can really harm their bodies.
“Energy drinks contain large amounts of sugar, ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng,” softball coach Alisha Crouch said. “These ingredients combined can cause dizziness, shakiness, elevated blood pressure, elevated heart rate, dehydration, and loss of sleep.”
Coach Crouch said the effects of energy drinks have effected someone in her life.
“I have seen negative effects on someone I know,” she said. “They had overdosed on energy drinks and began to develop random seizures,” Crouch said.
Coach Crouch reminds her athletes on a regular basis about the effects of drinking energy drinks, as well as herself and family.
“I do not like for my athletes to drink energy drinks, and I constantly nag them about it,” Crouch said. “I do not drink energy drinks and my children won’t be allowed to drink them either.”
The drinks aren’t cheap either.
“I drank them so much because they tasted so good,” Sammy said. “They made me really broke because they cost so much.”
Sammy was hospitalized her senior year for her large consumption of these beverages.
“The doctors said I needed to drink more water and that I can’t drink them anymore because they dehydrated me so bad,” Sammy said. “I haven’t drank them since.”