The Chemistry Of Energy Drinks - 1135 Words

Energy drinks are soda-like beverages that are chemically designed to boost your energy, performance, and increase stamina. Most of these drinks contain caffeine, sugar and many other ingredients including taurine, guarana, and ginseng. These products are generally marketed toward teanagers, students, athletes, and active people in general. As the popularity of these drinks increases so does the amount of reports they are receiving about the dangers of drinking these caffeinated substances. Energy drinks can be dangerous; therefore knowing the how they work and what is in them is key to consuming such substances safely. The Chemistry of Energy Drinks Typically all energy drinks contain the same base ingredients. These ingredients†¦show more content†¦The Vault Zero Sugar-Free Energy Drink has 47 mg, while Red Bull has 111 mg. Caffeine is considered to work by â€Å"blocking adenosine receptors in the brain and other organs.† 3 This â€Å"blocking† of adenosine reduces the ability that adenosine has to bind to receptors, which normally slows down cellular activity. â€Å"The stimulated nerve cells release the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to muscles, decreases blood flow to the skin and organs, and causes the liver to release glucose.† 3 Caffeine is quickly removed from the brain. Its effects are short lived and normally do not affect other brain functions. Caffeine’s side effects include, â€Å"insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and respiration, and other side effe cts† 8. Taurine is found in many energy and sport drinks because under stressful situations, taurine is eliminated from our body without being replaced quickly enough. Taurine has no proven side effects but â€Å"may counteract the effects of caffeine in energy drinks† 7. Guarana is a native tree to Venezuela contains caffeine and acts as a stimulant for the central nervous system. It is often found in energy and soft drinks as well as health and weight loss promoting supplements. â€Å"At typical doses, the caffeine in guaranaShow MoreRelatedEssay on History of Chemistry and Technology846 Words   |  4 PagesIn this paper I will be writing about chemistry and technology. The paper will be on how much chemistry is used in modern technology. The first thing I’m writing about is Sulfur, sulfuric acid. The next thing is Phosphorus, phosphoric acid. The last thing is Nitrogen. Chemistry is more important than I ever imagined it would be. The first thing is Sulfur is a member of the sixth main group of the periodic table. It is a yellow solid which is not soluble in water. It is not a metal. 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