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I used to be one of those fat guys you see scarffing down a burger and sipping his energy drink. The burger is a subject for another time, but really. But the energy drink? That is the subject of this post. I’m often blown away at the great lengths some of these companies will go to deceive us into thinking energy drinks are “cool” and they will help “improve performance”. but honestly, it doesn’t take much to realize these companies are full of hot air.

All it takes is a quick look at the ingredients to realize that if you are low in energy, the last thing you should put into your body is an energy drinkespecially if you are already 15+ pounds overweight like I was.

Reason one is the absurd amounts of sugar these drinks have. Think about it. A Rockstar contains up to 102 grams of sugar in a single can. If you look up the USDA’s daily recommendation you will find that they urge you to consume no more than 22 grams of sugar per day if you ingest 1600 calories per day. A Rockstar has over 4X the amount of sugar you should take for the entire day!

Reason number two to avoid energy drinks like the plague is the amount and types of stimulants they contain. Although it varies depending on the brand and type of drink, typically you’ll find uaranine, taurine, caffeine, and/or ginseng in these energy drinks. With a quick google search you’ll find that large amounts of any of these chemicals has been shown to cause: seizures, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart palpations and insomnia among other side effects. And don’t forget that each of these stimulants is considered extremely addictive.

Although energy drinks are wildly popular here in the US, other countries aren’t so keen on them. Did you know Red Bull was banned in France after an 18 year old athlete died from drinking 4 cans? Since Red Bull exceeds the amount of caffeine French laws allow in a consumable product, they have banned the drink. Denmark and Norway have also followed suit and also ban the drink.

The final reason to avoid energy drinks and a major reason nutritionists recommend avoiding them is because they are considered to be diuretics. Energy drinks make your body turn liquids into urine at a faster rate. Interestingly only 34% of Americans drink the USDA recommended eight 8 ounce classes of water each day. Leaving us as a nation dangerously dehydrated.

Since fatigue is the first sign of dehydration, nutritionists will tell you that if you are feeling tired and weak much of the time, the simplest and cheapest thing to try is to drink more water.

If you watch these energy drink commercials you would think that every professional athlete drinks this stuff by the gallons. However, because of the dehydration consequences, energy drinks are especially dangerous while excising. It’s the combination of sweating and the diuretic effect that raises the red flag.

Especially if you are trying to lose weight and get healthier, the best advise myself and any other energy expert out there could give you is put down the energy drink, and instead pick up a water bottle. You will have more energy, you will be more focused, and will see an increase in daily performance.

James Richardsen is a memeber of myadrenalfatigue.com,a site that specializes in helping those suffering from low energy and fatigue. MyAdrenalFatigue.com helps you to increase your energy levels through natural techniques by focusing on your fitness physically,mentally,emotionally,and spiritually.