Any proof of any negative effects of chronic use of stimulants (caffeine, etc)?

[Maverick2002]

It's often touted that you "shouldn't drink energy drinks, the stimulants are bad for you, etc".

For the purpose of this discussion lets assume sugar free energy drinks.

In particular, I'm referring to the most common ingredients - caffeine, taurine, guarana. I've been looking, but haven't been able to find any conclusive evidence that chronic consumption of these (pot of coffee anyone?) has any long term negative effects. In the short term you might get the jitters if you take too much, restlessness, etc, but these are all temporary and common sense would say you shouldn't drink a rockstar if you're going to bed soon. Also not a good idea to take too much prior to any heart elevating activity.

So am I missing something or is it fair game?

I find that sugar free energy drinks help a lot when at a caloric deficit as it alleviates some of the hunger and gives you "energy" so you don't pass out between meals.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I remember hearding on NPR that if you intake caffiene every day, at some point your body just needs that regular caffiene intake to keep you as alert as you would have been before you ever started taking in caffiene in the first place.

No links, sorry. Maybe someone can verify.

 

[OCGuy]

I have a friend who works in the Monster factory here in Socal...he says none of them will even touch one because they see what goes into them.

The only reason I drink energy drinks anymore is if I am out partying and want a boost.

 

[Gothgar]

I drink coffee every day, it sure feels like I "need" it now.

I drink a Monster here and there...

 

[Crono]

I remember hearding on NPR that if you intake caffiene every day, at some point your body just needs that regular caffiene intake to keep you as alert as you would have been before you ever started taking in caffiene in the first place.

No links, sorry. Maybe someone can verify.

This is true, more than one study demonstrating it. And from personal experience drinking tea, coffee, and energy drinks fairly regularly and sometimes heavily the past 3 years, I can confirm it.

And for more serious stimulants (like anything in the amphetamine family) your ability to feel pleasure becomes lowered over time as dopamine receptors in your brain become flooded, thus making you need more and more stimulant to feel the same rush (it becomes a physical addiction).

While caffeine isn't too bad, you do build up a tolerance to it in just a matter of days. You switch from gaining alertness from it to being slightly dependent to avoid grogginess and sluggishness throughout the day without it. Recovering from caffeine withdrawal is pretty quick and mild, though. So ideally you don't want to be drinking caffeinated beverages all the time - if you want the effects without the long term side effects you have to have breaks of days or weeks, unless you are consuming a weak source of caffeine (like tea, green and white are fairly low in caffeine especially). Green tea has the perfect amount of caffeine - no jitters or side effects, it's almost impossible to drink too much, and the health benefits are numerous and well documented.

A big downside of energy drinks for me is drinking them regularly can give me heartburn. The drinks themselves are basically sodas (acidic from carbonic acid and other ingredients) and the extra caffeine increases stomach acid production. This might not be a problem for everyone, but it could be if you are prone to stomach problems.

To summarize: don't drink energy drinks day after day. You will become dependent quick, and need to increase daily consumption to gain the same feeling of alertness. They are okay if you need the occasional jolt of energy if you are exhausted and need to be up all night. I work nights, and drink energy drinks or coffee those days I need to be up both morning and night. I don't recommend drinking energy drinks every day or even every week. Or coffee for that matter. You lose any benefit and it makes you feel like crap when you are in withdrawal.

Oh, and caffeine heavily interferes with sleep patterns. I have to make sure I don't have coffee or energy drinks 4-8 hours (varies on how dependent I am that day) before bedtime, or I might have trouble sleeping.

 

[diesbudt]

This is true, more than one study demonstrating it. And from personal experience drinking tea, coffee, and energy drinks fairly regularly and sometimes heavily the past 3 years, I can confirm it.

And for more serious stimulants (like anything in the amphetamine family) your ability to feel pleasure becomes lowered over time as dopamine receptors in your brain become flooded, thus making you need more and more stimulant to feel the same rush (it becomes a physical addiction).

While caffeine isn't too bad, you do build up a tolerance to it in just a matter of days. You switch from gaining alertness to being slightly dependent to avoid grogginess and sluggishness throughout the day. Recovering from caffeine withdrawal is pretty quick and mild, though. So ideally you don't want to be drinking caffeinated beverages all the time - if you want the effects without the long term side effects you have to have breaks of days of weeks, unless you are consuming a weak source of caffeine (like tea, green and white are fairly low in caffeine especially).

A big downside of energy drinks for me is drinking them regularly can give me heartburn. The drinks themselves are basically sodas (acidic from carbonic acid and other ingredients) and the extra caffeine increases stomach acid production. This might not be a problem for everyone, but it could be if you are prone to stomach problems.

There is no long term effects. You can get dependant, you do get tolerant to it, and you will feel withdraw symptoms if you stop after heavily doing it for so long. But not lasting issues.

However, if someone drinking it for idk... 10ish years was to stop. Given time about a month worth, any negative effects would vanish as your body can clean up your receptors. There may be lasting heart damage if it slightly increases heart rate, but it would be minor compared to obesity, chloresterol, and similar heart rate increasing issues.

 

[preslove]

Monster is just disgusting. Way too much sugar. I'm addicted to caffein and at least need black tea, if not coffee, in the morning. For energy drinks I'll have a redbull because it's only 8 ounces of sugary drink.

 

[shortylickens]

Any drug can cause problems eventually. Nicotine is a drug. Caffeine is a drug. DEAL WITH IT!

 

[diesbudt]

Monster is just disgusting. Way too much sugar. I'm addicted to caffein and at least need black tea, if not coffee, in the morning. For energy drinks I'll have a redbull because it's only 8 ounces of sugary drink.

I have had caffeiene so often and so long, it actually doesn't matter to me anymore. Most mornings I just Gatorade. Some mornings I water, Some mornings I Mt Dew. Some mornings I drink nothing.

Doesn't bother me in the slightest anymore one way or another.

 

[diesbudt]

Any drug can cause problems eventually. Nicotine is a drug. Caffeine is a drug. DEAL WITH IT!

Nicotine isn't a drug. It is a chemical found IN drugs.

Same difference though.

Caffeine is not chemically addictive like nicotine though. It is more of a psycological addiction if one obtains an addiction to it.

 

[TheSpy007]

After being on adderall for 2 years i can confirm that its very hard to feel pleasure/pain when you are not on it. I have noticed that it hard for me to relate to peoples emotions because of this.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Nicotine isn't a drug. It is a chemical found IN drugs.

Same difference though.

Caffeine is not chemically addictive like nicotine though. It is more of a psycological addiction if one obtains an addiction to it.

Um...

 

[diesbudt]

Um...

It is a drug in the sense it cause body to react to it.

But it isn't considered a drug like caffeine, marijjuana, tobacco, Meth. Ect.

Depends what definition you use. As nicotine is normally a "drug (aka chemical that is a stimulis)" inside drugs like tobacco.

 

[shortylickens]

Nicotine isn't a drug. It is a chemical found IN drugs.

Same difference though.

Caffeine is not chemically addictive like nicotine though. It is more of a psycological addiction if one obtains an addiction to it.

YOU ARE DUMB!

 

[surfsatwerk]

It is a drug in the sense it cause body to react to it.

But it isn't considered a drug like caffeine, marijjuana, tobacco, Meth. Ect.

Depends what definition you use. As nicotine is normally a "drug (aka chemical that is a stimulis)" inside drugs like tobacco.

You aren't helping your cause.