Over the years I am often approached as a studio to sell a number of products one being sports drinks. Most gym retailers will also sell them, it’s an extra way to make money on top of exercise. However one of my core values is always to educate clients and help people be in the best optimal health they can. It would be dishonest of me to sell these drinks especially as I know their effect on the central nervous system and the HPA axis.
Every time you stop at a petrol station notice the amount of energy drinks on sale. Whether you’re trying to ensure you have enough energy to get through a training session or are trying to beat off the afternoon slump, reaching for your favorite energy drink may be doing more harm than good in helping to achieve your goals.These drinks yes will give quick energy to stay awake but will over burden the body organs. Our two main organs of detoxification are the kidneys and liver. Have you heard the terms ‘Angry liver’, ‘Green with envy’? Each organ is associate with a feeling or emotion. Our organs are connected with our brain so they can influence our behaviour dramatically plus our road to recovery form injury and pain.
“Energy drinks could cause public health problems, says WHO study,” NHS website
Life is already so fast and stressful, we are constantly stimulated becoming tired and wired by electronic stress’s such as email, phone, IPad and TV etc Yes we need some stress every day in order to function but its when it get over;oaded it effects other areas of the body.
I suggest sticking to health and lifestyles plans. There are plenty about from Paul Cheks “Eat, move and be healthy”, Dr.Chattergee (BBC Doctor in the house), Doctors kitchen (Dr.Rupi) all available information os online plus plenty of free podcasts.
Many of the athletes that I have worked with get sponsored by this energy drink companies. They will promote their drink even though they don’t understand that the problems they cause. ‘During exercise lasting less than 1 h, there is little evidence of physiological or physical performance differences between consuming a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink and plain water.’1. American college of sports medicine.
Ideally we should begin the day with a cold shower staying in for a minimum of three minutes maximum of six minutes. The more stressed the adrenal glads are the more showers you will need to take daily to help aid recovery. Get your juicer on the go so each morning you can have a quick shot or energy boost. If your pushed for time prepare a jug of juice a few days in advance and just keep having a shot each day.
Tai chi and some of the chi kung movements are excellent to create balance in the breath and body.
Why I don’t like energy drinks
1.They are essentially garbage that overstimulate the organs and should not be in the body. Now you might be thinking that this doesn’t apply to you as your energy drink is sugar free or low carbohydrate, but these types of energy drinks can be just as bad as they’re generally full of toxic sweeteners or artificial ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. Sweeteners and artificial ingredients add to your body’s toxic load, making it harder for your body to burn fat and stay young and energetic.
2.Due to labelling laws in most countries, they will always favour manufacturers, not consumers. There are many chemicals and drugs and substances which are not on the labels. The negative response on the central nervous system is sympathetic drive plus producing anxiety.
3.They stimulate cortisol and adrenal production exciting the sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze nervous system). If used with any regularity the result is adrenal gland exhaustion. This results in an ability to heal properly (DOMS – delayed, onset, muscle, soreness). This is a real problem not only for athletes but for Joe Public too.
4.One of the biggest problems with many energy drinks is that they are full of sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Not only will these ingredients increase your risk of diabetes, they will also cause your body to release serotonin. Before a workout, serotonin is your worst enemy as it will leave you feeling tired and lacking the drive and energy to train.
5.As the bodies ability to produce cortisol (stress hormones in general) diminishes, fatigue and malaise set in so people will increase their sugar and stimulate intake (including coffee) to keep going. This leads to progressive malnutrition and imbalance in the body PH making it more acidic.
6.To counter balance this the breathing rate speeds up. As the breathing rate speeds up too much CO2 is out gassed. This become s problem because too much CO2 is outgased. CO2 is a natural stimulant of the smooth muscles of the digestive and eliminative organs and when not in adequate concentrations, constipation and digestive trouble emerge.
7.All this in one package can distort our body shape and mental emotional balances often resulting in over the counter medications.
8.Once the adrenals go to the point of exhaustion where normal physiological function is being threatened there is a break down in thyroid gland to slow metabolism. This is so the body has more time to clear the toxins and repair. It is also a defence mechanism where the body does not have the energy to participate in activities that further drain resources.
With hyperthyroidism people tend to feel cold where as others don’t. There is also an accumulation of fat around the belly, hips, chest and triceps being more prominant in females than males.
9. Our sexual performance and drive diminishes. Once the body cant produce enough hormones (cortisol is a primary hormone , you will die if tis went too low), it shuts down sex hormone production to conserve resources. Sadly sales of viagra continue to rise as people don’t know how to eat, live and care for themselves.
10. The immune system starts to become disabled making way for serous disease including cancer.
Bibliography
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Jan;28(1):i-vii. -American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement.
‘Energy drink danger’ Paul Chek blog
‘Eat,move & be healthy’ Paul Chek
