The U.S. Department of Defense is urging soldiers to ease up on drinking too much energy beverages as it could lead to serious damaging of the body.
The military noticed that a growing number of servicemen choose to drink energy beverages over water, especially during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Researchers examined data collected from soldiers serving during 2010's Operation Enduring Freedom and discovered that as much as 45 percent of those deployed downed at least one energy drink a day.
The findings also showed that nearly 14 percent of U.S. soldiers serving in the conflict consumed three or more drinks a day.
Negative Health Effects Of Drinking Too Much Energy Drinks
Energy drink manufacturers choose to market their products to young Americans, including those in the armed service. Some of the most popular beverages can even be found on military facilities.
Health experts, however, warn that these drinks contain high amounts of caffeine, which could cause serious negative effects on the body such as insomnia, irritability, restlessness, nervousness, faster heartbeat and even muscle tremors.
Previous studies have also suggested that drinking too much caffeine can lead to early death, particularly among young adults.
Prof. Patricia Deuster of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, said servicemen should avoid taking in more than 200 milligrams of caffeine every four hours.
They should also be aware of just how much caffeine they have already consumed through energy drinks and other kinds of caffeinated beverages, such as soft drinks and coffee.
Deuster said if the caffeine content of an energy beverage is 200 milligrams or more, then it should not be consumed.
Experts also warn female military members about the dangers of drinking energy beverages. Since women tend to have smaller bodies compared to men, they consume high concentrations of caffeine without realizing it.
Consumers should watch out for the high sugar content of energy drinks as well. Some popular variants contain as much as 27 grams for every can, which is already two-thirds of the daily recommended amount for men and 2 grams higher than what is recommended for women.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person's intake of extra sugars should be kept at least below 10 percent of his or her calorie total for the day. Taking in too much added sugar can lead to increased blood-sugar levels.
Energy beverages that claim to be sugar-free should also be avoided as these still contain artificial sweeteners, which could raise sugar levels in the blood as well.
