Energy drinks are beverages containing stimulant drugs marketed as providing mental and physical stimulation through high amounts of sugar and caffeine. Other common chemicals are taurine, inositol, Vitamins B3, B5, B6 and B12, supposed to provide extra energy. This paper will identify structures, why these compounds give energy, health implications and propose an energy drink ban for teenagers.
Caffeine (C8H10N4O2) is below left.
Caffeine is fat and water-soluble, being absorbed into blood flowing to the brain. Adenosine is a brain activity by-product, latching onto brain cell receptors, producing tiredness to make humans sleep, and regulates natural stimulants. Caffeine and adenosine are chemically similar: caffeine instead locks onto these receptors, blocking adenosine (Joseph Stromberg, 2013). Neurons are central nervous system nerve cells, essential for transmitting messages all over the body (Kendra Cherry, 2006). Neurons speed up instead of slow down, producing alertness (I. Yunusa, et al. 2011). Dopamine and adrenaline are produced more without regulation, increasing happiness and energy limitedly (Brain Marshall, et al. 2000). The brain builds caffeine tolerance, growing more adenosine receptors to balance both chemical effects: the same high takes more (Kevin Purdy, 2010). Caffeine decreases reaction time…
These vitamins contain no energy, but are helpers in hundreds of chemical reactions to change nutrients ingested into ATP, basic cell energy (Jill Corleone, 2015). Each B vitamin helps different reactions, like protein/carbohydrate digestion, etc. When the body reaches the maximum for each B vitamin type, excess is expelled in urine. Deficiency is unlikely if a moderately healthy diet is eaten (Monica Reinagel, 2011). The body can only absorb a maximum amount at one time, and replenishing from nutrition takes weeks. These are for marketing purposes: there are negligible energy boosts (Ali Eaves,…
