Experts say energy drinks can negatively affect study habits
Grabbing an energy drink on the way to the library, then sitting in front of the computer until past midnight seemed like the only way to get all her homework done, Keene State College senior, Emily Francis, said.
It’s 1 a.m. and the buzz in the Mason Library has yet to stop. Extended hours are on. Note cards and laptop chargers come and go. A non-stop printing noise takes over. Heads down, cans up. As students work on research papers and study for exams, some chug energy blends to get things rolling and hope to make it through the night.
“This is my home during finals week, I am usually at the library until two a.m., when they kick me out,” KSC senior, Jaline Long, said.
Photo Illustration by Brian Cantore / Photo Editor: Some students at KSC says energy drinks help them get through study nights at the Mason Library during the last weeks of the semester.
With finals week in full swing, Francis said she consumes energy drinks to keep her up and going. “I have a lot of papers and work to do, over a hundred pages…That’s why I need to drink them,” Francis said.
Similarly, KSC senior Trisha Gunning said, “This time of the year I drink at least one [energy drink] every day.”
Energy drinks are beverages that are marketed to enhance performance and boost energy. Both Gunning and Francis stated they do not really feel more energetic after they consume these products.
Gunning said, “At this point, I don’t think they actually do anything to me because I have had so many. I don’t really see a change [after having an energy drink].”
“I wouldn’t say drinking them [energy drinks] gives me energy, I would say they just keep me up, unhappy and stressed,” Francis said.
At KSC, energy drinks are for sale on campus. There are several options when it comes to purchasing these products. Both the Owl’s Roost and Lloyd’s Market Place, located in the student center, offer a variety of brands that produce these beverages. The Owl’s Roost sells four different types of Red Bull, Rockstar, AMP, Monster, the Full Throttle and ZeroNos, while Lloyd’s offers only Rockstar and AMP. Both stores have promotions going on for consumers that purchase energy drinks.
Retail Manager at Lloyd’s Market Place, Mohammed Hossain, indicated the store sells around 600 energy drinks and Starbucks can coffees every month. According to Hossain, the exact amount of energy drinks sold cannot be provided because the system counts energy drinks (Rockstar and AMP) together with Starbucks coffee. Hossain indicated this number stays the same all throughout the semester. “I don’t see there is an increase in the sales of energy drinks during last weeks,” Hossain said. However, Owl’s Roost employee and KSC senior, Zach Foley, said many KSC students consume these beverages regularly, and especially during finals week. “Students definitely buy more energy drinks during finals week and the week before that,” Foley stated.
Indeed, Francis said energy drinks are her go-to alternative only at the end of the semester. “Other than during finals week, I don’t drink them. I know it is not good for me, that’s why I only consume them when I feel I have to,” Francis stated.
Even though energy drinks are an option at hand for KSC students, when it comes to getting school work done, Keene State College health experts indicate this might not be the best choice.
As KSC students revealed some of their habits during the last weeks of the semester, Coordinator of Wellness Education, Tiffany Mathews and KSC registered dietitian Rebecca Briggs, addressed problems regarding the consumption of energy drinks and suggested healthier alternatives to keep powered up.
From a nutrition perspective, Briggs recommended students eat rather than drink to remain energetic. “Energy drinks aren’t necessarily the answer. If it’s one a.m. and you are feeling your energy level is getting low, go ahead and have a snack, take something that will help you get through the night of studying,” Briggs said.
Briggs indicated students should have multiple snacks that have at least two food groups represented. “It could be a grain and a dairy product or a vegetable and protein.” For Briggs, the key is to, “make those snacks as healthy as they can be.” She suggested consuming fruits, vegetables, grains and low-fat proteins.
Regarding how energy drinks affect health, Briggs said, “Effects can be different for everybody. It’s certainly not a consistent, healthy source of energy.”
Briggs said in many cases, if individuals do feel powered-up after consuming an energy drink, that energy is not going to last long. “Calories are generally going to come from sugar. As most people know, with sugar you are going to get a spike in energy and then you drop off really quickly,” Briggs said.
Moreover, Mathews addressed some health concerns that should be taken in account when consuming these products.
Mathews referred to the taurine and caffeine added to energy drinks. “Because of the caffeine, there is a potential for addiction. About the taurine, it is known to be a cause for heart palpitations. Caffeine in large doses could do that any way. Some of the other ingredients in energy drinks have even more negative side effects,” Mathews stated.
According to an article in the Washington Post, studies have indicated that the consumption of more than 500 milligrams of caffeine can lead to “caffeine intoxication.” This could cause insomnia, anxiety, irritability, upset stomach, increased heart rate or muscle tremors, the article stated.
Both Mathews and Briggs suggested students read labels and do research before ingesting any substances. Briggs said she believes that energy drinks, “can really be dangerous to some extend. They [energy drinks] are not nutritionally essential to consume. I always try to deter people from consuming them,” she said.
Mathews said ingesting substances the body is not used to could not only affect health state in the long run, but may decrease immediate performance. “It is usually a trial and error type of thing because people usually don’t know their tolerance level for these substances. Around finals week, you need to be at your best, you don’t really want to be messing around with trial and error,” Mathews indicated. As finals week comes to an end, students’ sleeping and eating habits may come back to normal, however awareness towards making healthier choices should remain and grow, Mathews said. “I try to encourage students to think critically and make decisions that will be positive in a long term and not just try to get through finals and not care about their health.”
Karina Barriga Albring can be contacted at kbarriga@keene-equinox.com
