Energy Drinks?

Well prior to college, the only energy drinks I ever had were Gatorade/PowerAde, Mountain Dew, and one Monster to pretend I was cool when I was maybe 12 years old. I've been a college student for 13 days now, and not only have I had Mountain Dew almost everyday, I've also been drinking coffee and Red Bulls. Coffee isn't too bad; Mountain Dew wakes me up; but they weren't kidding when they said Red Bull gives you wings.

Literally, it makes me feel like I'm high on life. It gives you so much energy. My friend Kiana and I each had a Red Bull, and we were bouncing off the walls and jumping up and down and singing badly while our other friends sat calmly playing the piano and guitar or doing homework. The energy high was great; the bad part was that the energy didn't help me with my school work. It made me overly hyper and distracted me even more.

Studies have shown that one 250 mL can of Red Bull has the same amount of caffeine in it that one cup of coffee has. Health authorities have said it is safe for consumption, making it available in 167 countries. However, the caffeine is not the real problem with the adored energy drink.

The amount of caffeine in a Red Bull leads to irritation and nervousness, and for people whom already experience these issues, this can lead to cardiac problems. The drinks cause mood swings in most people, and consumers can experience hallucinations, paranoia, and other behavior abnormalities. The worst part? Some of these energy drinks have been linked to consumers' deaths due to exceedingly high caffeine levels.

So I'm not about to completely stop drinking Red Bulls, but a Red Bull a day definitely does not keep the doctors away. Drink energy drinks with caution! And make sure you sleep sometimes, too. Your bed is your friend!