Energy Drinks Cause Surprising Health and Dental Problems

In every minimart and grocery store, you can find coolers filled with cans of energy drinks. There seems to be an energy drink option for everyone, from popular brands like Monster and Red Bull to energy drinks that claim they contain healthy ingredients like vitamin B or ginseng. Men between the ages of 18 and 34 consume the most energy drinks, and almost one-third of teens drink them regularly.

It’s truly surprising to learn there are multiple health warnings associated with this now common beverage. The US government agency the National Center for Complimentary and Integrated Health warns of multiple health risks associated with energy drinks, while dental researchers caution that energy drinks’ high acidity – not just sugar and sweetener content – erodes teeth enamel.

Dentists have long warned about sugary drinks and snacks causing tooth decay and cavities. What is less known is that the acidity of a drink also affects the enamel of teeth. The academic study “A Comparison of Sports and Energy Drinks – Physiochemical Properties and Enamel Dissolution” found a significant difference in acidity between sports drinks and energy drinks. Not surprising, energy drinks were much more acidic, and when people’s teeth were exposed to energy drinks, their teeth enamel experienced “weight loss” that was two times higher than those exposed to sports drinks. That’s the kind of weight loss no one wants!

Other health risks associated with energy drink are due to the large amount of caffeine in each drink. (Caffeine is so common in our culture we often forget it’s a drug too!) Huge doses of caffeine are bad for your heart, and studies have shown that when people mix energy drinks with alcohol, they are more likely to binge drink, drink and drive, and do other risky things.

What can you learn from this research? The quick and easy answer is to drink fewer energy drinks, avoid mixing them with alcohol, or cut them out of your diet entirely. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should start drinking soda pop or sports drinks. For some people, flavored sparkling water or herbal tea are good alternatives.

If you do decide to grab an energy drink, reduce the beverage’s effect on your teeth by:

• Rinsing your mouth with water.
• Waiting half an hour to brush your teeth (your enamel remains soft for a while after you drink or eat something acidic).
• Eating a snack with your energy drink (the food and saliva reduces the beverage’s affect on your teeth).