The Triangle

Issue date: 6/5/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Sarah Michelson

Energy drinks may keep students up at night so that they can multitask, but with the high amounts of caffeine, sugar and calories in these drinks, many future health problems can occur as a result of their excessive consumption.

"Energy drinks were created to keep people awake. It's their only purpose and they are loaded with calories and sugar. Avoid energy drinks period," Christina Calamaro, assistant professor and lead author of "Adolescents Living the 24/7 Lifestyle: Effects of Caffeine and Technology on Sleep Duration and Daytime Functioning," said.

The study was published in the June edition of the journal, "Pediatrics," and displays results indicating the negative impacts high caffeine consumption and electronic devices used before sleep have on adolescents.

"Drinking too many of them are associated with sleep issues, depression and chronic diseases like diabetes," Calamaro said.

She said that while students are multi tasking at night, they are drinking caffeinated drinks and too much of this can cause problems with functioning during the day.

"When you don't get good sleep there are increased chances of having mood disorders, obesity and the worsening of chronic disease symptoms," Calamaro said.

Several Drexel students have expressed their negative experiences with the effects of drinking an energy drink.

"The high caffeine content in the energy drinks gives me a high for some time," Rishina Dharia, senior marketing and advertisement major said. "Much later there is the 'come down' effect that follows, which makes me feel tired and exhausted."

Nick Tassos, a junior mechanical engineer, said after two or three hours, he gets tired, which makes him feel depressed.

"Falling asleep is a challenge after drinking the caffeine. I feel tired mentally; physically I feel awake and can't fall asleep," Tasso said.

Calamaro recommended that students keep a sleep pattern that is in alignment with the sun and get up early.

"This is tough for a college student but important," she said. "Try and avoid all caffeinated products after noon and be aware that it only takes 1 cup of coffee per day to start developing dependency on caffeine."

Calamaro also said multitasking should be avoided at night.

"As students multitask, they drink the most caffeine. It is available to us not only in energy drinks and coffee, but caffeine coated foods," she said.

Continued...

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