Energy drinksBy

Jana Kalvodová

Energy drinks

beverages which contain legal stimulants, vitamins and minerals, including caffeine, guarana, taurine, various forms of maltodextrin, carnitine and ginkgo biloba.Some may contain high levels of sugar or glucose.Many beverages are flavored and colored to resemble soft drinks.

These drinks are typically marketed towards young people, studentsPeople who play sportsEnergy drinks are different from sports drinks most energy drinks simply provide lots of sugar and caffeine, with no healthful purpose

Effect of energy drinks

Many of the ingredients increase the metabolism which in turn increases the energyThe metabolic process that produces energy for all biological functioningMany of the chemicals in these energy drinks are known to or believed to be antioxidantsPrevents cellular damage

Taurine - 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid

One of the lesser known amino acidMay help with reactive oxygen, respiratory burst and it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous systemIt hasnt been fully researched and much of what it does is still unknownResearch into the effects of taurine on the hearts functions

Guarana Contains a high amount of guaranine, a chemical substance with the same characteristics as caffeineThis makes Guarana a stimulant similar to coffeeIs an aphrodisiacCauses a higher blood pressure and an increased heart rate

guaranine

CaffeineAn alkaloid found naturally in such foods as coffee beans, tea, guarana…Has characteristically intense bitter tasteStimulant action on the central nervous system with psychotropic effects and stimulation of respirationEnergy drinks may contain as much as 80 mg of caffeine – cup of coffee

caffeine

GinkgoKnown to increases metabolism, enhance circulationAntioxidant

B vitamins Helps us produce energy Essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which provides energyVitamins B2,B3

Ginkgo leaf

                                    

SugarPresent as a source of energy and it has appealing tasteCarbohydrates (which sugar is) provide most of the energy needed in our daily lives, both for normal body functions such as heartbeat, breathing and digestion and for exercise such as cycling, walking and running

Examples of energy drinks

The most polpular energy drinks:Red BullSemtexShark

Semtex(250ml drink content)

caffeine 80 mgtaurin 1000 mgvitamin C 50 mgvitamin B6 1,5 mgvitamin B2 1,25 mgniacin 13,5 mgpantothenacid 4,5 mgfolicacid 0,015 mg

Shark

References

http://www.banddesigns.com/energywww.redbull.comwww.shark.com

DictionaryBeverages – nápojeResemble - podobat sePurpose - účelrespiratory burst - heart rate srdeční frekvenceEnhance – zlepšitBreakdown – selháníDigestion - trávení