Energy Drinks - Relaxation Drinks - Four Loko - New Drinks
By Pamela99
Energy Drink Skyrocketing Sales
There are many new types of drinks on the market. Energy drinks have been around the longest and are very popular, yet absolutely not good for children. They may not be healthy for adults either, depending on the amount of their consumption. Some of the better known drinks energy drinks are, Red Bull, Spike, Shooter, Monster, and Redline, to name just a few. The US sale of these drinks this year is expected to reach $9 billion.
Energy Drinks
Effects of Drinking Energy Drinks
There are studies which have shown an improvement in cognitive and mental performance after consumption of an energy drink. However, excessive consumption can induce a mild to moderate euphoria. In addition, they can cause anxiety, agitation, irritability and insomnia. They have a combination of caffeine (an 8 oz. can has the amount of caffeine found in an 8 oz. cup of coffee) and there is sugar glucose in any energy drink.
Consumption of one energy drink a day is not typically a problem, but consumption of two or more drinks may lead to excessive caffeine intake. Caffeine is a diuretic and these drinks have no nutrients, which mean it is more likely you can have a “crash and burn” reaction when the caffeine leave your system. Some energy drinks have ginseng or guarana to enhance the caffeine effect.
Dr Whiting on the Dangers of Energy Drinks
Ill Effects of Energy Drinks
Overall the diuretic component of too much caffeine causes many physical problems, particularly dehydration. Caffeine can also cause heart rhythm problems, seizures and ER visits. One of the more popular energy drinks is Red Bull was banned in France after an 18-year-old athlete died within hours of playing basketball and consuming 4 cans of Red Bull.
Dr. Holly Benjamin of the American Academy of Pediatrics states children should never be given these drinks due to the caffeine and other stimulants that are not nutritional
Some Relaxation Drinks
Sippin Sizzurp Goes Mainstream, Extreme Relaxation Drink Being Sold In Stores
The New Relaxation Drinks
Relaxation drinks are also finding popularity, especially among young people.
There are several available, including; Drank,Mary Jane’s Relaxing Soda, Vacation in a Bottle, and Dream Water, which are advertized as relaxing and able to reduce stress. There is no law that stops teens from buying this drink. The companies suggest not more than 2 12-ounce bottles daily. These drinks are being indorsed by celebrities. The ingredients in these drinks tend to include:
- Many drinks contain herbal, plant or hormonal substances which may have side effects.
- Melatonin, which is a naturally occurring substance in your body to induce sleep but it is not FDA approved for a food additive.
- Kava root, which should be used cautiously, particularly in people with liver problems, as the FDA has linked ingestion of this substance to severe liver injuries.
- Vacation in a Bottle does not contain Melatonin but L-Theanine, which is found in green tea and will relax you without putting you to sleep.
- They also sometimes contain Valerian root and rose hips
These drinks can cause drowsiness and sedation. There is concern that there will be a trend with teenagers using these drinks to make a homemade concoction known as Purple Drink. Purple drink is a combination of relaxation drinks, cough syrup with codeine, promethazine and candy to get high.
Four Lokos
The third new drink has educators more concerned is Four Logo which is a new energy drink fusion that contains 11% or 12% alcohol by volume per can. Interestingly enough, the formulations were developed by three alumni of The Ohio State University; Chris Hunter, Jeff Wright, and Jaisen Freeman. In this drink you have the combined effects of caffeine and the equivalent of three beers and other amped-up ingredients which is said to be incredibly intoxicating. It has even been referred to as "legalized cocaine in a can". Or “Blackout in a Can”. In this drink you have two diuretics, alcohol and caffeine, which can easily cause dehydration. You have to be 21 to purchase this drink for $3.00 a can.
"Blackout in a Can"
Earn Money, Make Friends and Have Fun by Writing on Hubpages-- Sign up Today!
Four Lokos
Four Lokos Flavors
There are seven flavors to experiment with the supposed liquid YaYo. This malted energy drink also contains Taurine, Guarana and other possibly energy-boosting compounds, comes in the following flavors:
- Four Loko Blue Raspberry
- Four Loko Cranberry Lemonade
- Four Loko Lemonade
- Four Loko Orange Blend
- Four Loko Fruit Punch
- Four Loko Uva (Brazillian Berry)
- Four Loko Watermelon
This drink is being seen more on college campuses and of course, there is concern that by officials that this drink can lead to an increase in teenage drinking and drunk-driving incidents.
Summary
There is also concern that people will drink several energy drinks to get through the day, then have to drink several relaxation drinks to be able to sleep at night, so your metabolism is being controlled by drugs around the clock, which certainly isn’t healthy. There are professionals that think the relaxation drink can be beneficial, such as acupuncture's Tom Ingegno, as he states it is helpful to have a drink that you can enjoy to relax or before you go to bed. However, he says if you have any concerns see your doctor before drinking them. Certainly one energy drink is not going to be a problem for most people, but if you are on blood pressure and heart medications, they are probably hot a good idea.
The two greatest concerns are the relaxation drinks being abused by using a drug recipe to make the purple drink which is popular with some teens and Four Loko. There are rappers that sing about this drink also, which encourages youth in the wrong direction.
The greatest concern is Four Loko with the caffeine and alcohol combination. Several states are trying to outlaw this drink as many students have ended up in the ER very drunk and in bad shape.
New Drinks on the Market
Do you drink any of the following drinks routinely?
See results without votingThe copyright to this article is owned by Pamela Oglesby. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Great hub, Pamela99. I'm aware of these drinks but haven't tried any. In my 30s I tried maryjana(?) twice, but knowing how I "had been" with both alcohol and tobacco, I knew any kind of drug "for me" would just induce me to try them all, so I knew it would be best to stop cold. Now, as an adult, I don't think I need any new thrills from a can, but I know a lot of kids "are" how I "was". Thanks for the info.
Susan, I think young people are drinking too many of these drinks and it is so easy to get dehydrated in hot weather. Thanks for your comments.
SunRon, Thanks so much for sharing your comments. I think many adults feel like you do.
Thanks for the very informative hub. Now, I feel a lot more about energy drinks in general and how they affects the body. I don't drink energy drink--coffee is my pick-me-up, but this hub has definitely given me great insights.Rated up.
Anginwu, I didn't know much about these drinks either but kept hearing about them so I did a little research. Thanks for your comment.
Yikes! I had no idea what these drinks really were. I try to keep my family drinking just water. It's hard when everyone else seems to be drinking something more exciting.
Bethany, We mostly stick with water also, but my boys are grown so I don't have that worry anymore. Thanks for your comment.
hey pamela,
Nice suggestion and thought, I like Energy Drink when i find very tired or feel lazy.
justinbryan, Thanks for your comments.
Wow, I didn't know there's a drink called "Mary Jane’s Relaxing Soda." The name kind of made me giggle. Thanks for sharing this interesting info. I might give some of these drinks a try.
Om Paramapoonya, Thanks for your comments.
So glad you posted this info for people to learn from. There have been so many young people whose health has been compromised from these drinks-- it's hard to believe that its legal to produce them.
R Talloni, When I read about the Four Loko incident at a college in Washington I thought it was a good idea to write this hub including all 3 types of drinks. Thanks so much for your comments.
Thanks Pamela for this informative hub. You published it before I did. My hubby and I know all about these drinks that are more dangerous than the media states. I know that when I drink a "Monster" I feel "elevated" and act silly even, but then the next day, I can't stop visiting the toilet (diarrhea). I know that those drinks can cause palpitations in the heart and migraines even in the teenager. I wish they would ban these drinks all together.
CNCastro, I agree and I am particularly concerned with the Four Loko that has become so popular on college campuses. Thank you so much for your comments.
If I need coffee I drink coffee. If I need energy I eat right. If I can't sleep I exercise. or have sex..okay, so I'm naughty.
I know a few people who like redbull and some other kinds of energy drinks. I'll have to inform them of their ill-effects.
Great info Pamela99, thanks!
Brilliant Hub Pamela, my son drinks energy drinks, I will be getting him to read this hub, thank you for doing the research and writing this hub. I am very grateful.
Cardisa, No, I don't think you are naughty but I do think you are practical. I appreciate your comments.
Steph, I'm glad the hub was useful for your and I appreciate your comments.
Pam, I don't drink any of these energy drinks, give me a cup of coffee and i'm a happy camper.
Cheers
Hi, these drinks are certainly dangerous, I have a friend who drinks red bull and I am always nagging him to stop taking it, I will have to show him this hub, thanks for the great info, rated up! cheers nell
always exploring, That sounds like me. Thanks for the comment.
Nell, I hope your friend slow down on the Red Bull. Thanks so much for your comments.
Thanks for your avid research, Pamela. These energy and so-called 'relaxing' drinks do not appear to be healthy substitutes for pure water. This hub should provide a wake-up call to parents to monitor their teenagers' behavior. Voted up.
Good for you, Pamela. The "drinks" which abound, from long-term sodas to the rash of energy drinks are so dangerous and account for much obesity and many other less obvious bad results. I also hope more folks awaken to this unhealthy thing being foisted on the public for profit. Water is always the best beverage, in fact.
drbj, I agree that nothing is as healthy as water. I appreciate your comments.
Nellieanna, Well stated Thank you for your comments.
I agree with the other comments. I have never tried any of the drinks, so I guess I better not plan to now. Thanks for the info.
I'm suspicious of such concotions. They sound dangerous and such things are always abused by kids.
Excellent Hub! I have never tried any of the drinks. Keep up the good work. Pamela you are doing great job here.
Sally, I appreciate your comments.
WillStarr, I agree. I appreciate your comments.
katrinasui, Thank you for the very sweet comment. I'm glad you enjoyed the hub.
I have so much natural energy if I drink these things, I go into shaking fits....kinda sorta like when they gave me inhalers and told me they would make my bronchitis better! Just too much of a 'jolt' for my system. I can get by with some diluted coffee just fine for my 'energy drink' but I know a lot of folks swear by these! I'm still not sure they are so good for us!
Audry, I always knew you were a high energy girl and with such a great sense of humor. I appreciate your comments.
Such an informative hub Pamela. The whole situation is completely scary and the market always target impressionable teenagers. More should be done to prevent these drinks being marketed as unassumingly normal everyday drinks. Great YouTube too. Voting up,useful and awesome!
acaetnna, I think the teen are the scary part also. Thanks so much for your comments.
Well explained and clearly written. I don't believe in any of these energy drinks. There bound to be a fiddle init which makes good soon after yoju drank it.
Hello, Thank you so much for your comments.
I was glad to read this article. I didn't know about Purple Drinks or Four Lokos. Why oh why do our youth think they need something to get 'high'??
Hanna, I guess if you knew the answer to that question you'd be a millionaire. It is sad that the young people think they're so invincible and that they can get away with drinking things that are unhealthy without consequences. Thank you so much for your comments.
very good info very usefull thanks
jasperm Thank you for the comment.
What a good and informative hub this is on energy drinks.
Pamela, I am forwarding this on to several people I know, who drink these totally non-nutritious thirst quenchers. Also, I will put it on facebook where hopefully plenty of young people read it. Thanks for all your hard work - a great service to all!
vocalcoach, Thanks for passing the article along and I hope it helps someone to understand that these drinks are healthy. I appreciate you putting the article on Facebook and also for your comments.
The course of society today with the advent of these drinks starts to look a little bit like the life of Elvis Presley. In his world he took pills to stay awake, and he took pills to go to sleep. I think the energy drink craze, and this seeming unending need for "energy" by the younger generation seems a bit off. It's mind over matter, as they say, and if one is feeling tired it's probably not caused by fatigue, but by being disengaged. If one is actively doing something one enjoys, or even something they don't necessarily enjoy, it can be energizing. I think of when I get home from work. Often times I'm pooped, but I hop in the shower and suddenly I'm feeling refreshed and energized.
Every now and then I may have a can of, say, a Starbucks Mocha energy drink. But that's just because I like the way it tastes. The other energy drinks, frankly, are some of the worst tasting things I've ever had.
In any event, very interesting article.
Springboard, I think you may have pegged the reason for this energy drink craze. I've never tried one although I sure so run out of energy now and then. I do drink coffee in the AM. Thanks so much for your comments.
Very very nice hub. thanks
saif, I appreciate your comments.
Thank you for your well written article. I do have a couple of points to raise though.
Is there any evidence that the consumption of coffee is healthier than the ingestion of an energy drink? I've always considered coffee to be in the same vein as Red Bull.
Secondly the use of 'tonics' for an energy boost is certainly not peculiar to our generation. Be it chewing on Coke leaves or drinking coca cola. Ingesting gin seng or even the world's most common drug, caffeine. These are nothing new, they are just more regulated now and make a lot of money.
As I wrote in my article most of the drinks have the same caffeine as 1 8 oz cup of coffee, which has now been proven to have some good health benefits. The problem is excessive consumption of these drinks, of coffee too for that matter. Several a day aren't healthy, one is no big deal. You're right about the regulation and more money. Thanks for your comments.
Yes, 9 billion in sales may even be a low estimate with the way popularity of energy drinks have been growing.
xsenergydrink, Thank you for your comment.
Ok people stop freaking out about these things. I'm 20 years old and I drink lokos and monster and redbull and there is nothing wrong with any of them. Yous all say give me coffee and I'm good but you all grew up in a completly different time where yous had nothing like this. Just drop it and forget about it because the world changed and there's nothing you can do about it. The media is always blowing everything out of proportion and trying to get anything new banned. Just grow up already. Oh yea and just legalize bud already. When it was first started in the media there was crazy claims that it made people go crazy and kill or harm other people. Haha and we all know it does nothing like that. And don't say youv never smoked it cuz youl be lieing. Its exactly what their trying to do with these drinks is scare everyone and trying to turn everyone on them. Just grow up and stop listening and believing everything you hear.
justin, While you are growing up you might read the article more carefully. Some of the drinks are beneficial or at least not harmful if you drink one a day. The problems seem to occur when you drink several "upper type drinks" to get through the day and "downer drinks" to get through the night as that is dependency. It is always good to know what is contained in any food or beverage you consume.
Just Ask Susan 12 months ago
Hope that many many people see your hub. My boys and their friends are always drinking these energy drinks and I think they should take all of them off the market. I have heard a few stories about energy drinks and people ending up in the hospital because of them. Drink coffee if you need a boost. Just my opinion though. Excellent hub.