How Energy Drinks Are Draining Your Brain’s Power
Walk by a beverage cooler in any store and you’ll be struck by lightning bolts and bold lettering screaming, “Energy!” The makers of these drinks promise that ingredients like caffeine, amino acids, and herbal extracts will deliver superhuman focus and motivation by the sip. Yet lurking beneath the pull tab is a danger that may outweigh any lift the drink offers. It’s important to ask, “What if the cost of this burst of energy isn’t just money?” The Evolution of Energy Drinks The origins of energy drinks can be traced back decades before their rise to mass popularity. In 1929, the glucose-based drink Lucozade Energy (formerly Glucozade in 1927) was introduced in the United Kingdom as a nutritional supplement for hospital patients recovering from illnesses, including the flu. Later, in 1949, Dr. Enuf, containing a mixture of caffeine, B vitamins, and sugar, became the first carbonated energy drink in the United States when it was launched in Chicago. However, it wasn’t u...