Health Risks of Monster Energy Drinks

Monster Energy drinks are full of numerous ingredients that promise to increase endurance, create lasting energy and improve concentration. The effects of the beverage will vary from person to person. One can contains two servings and consuming the entire can may have adverse health effects on your body, so limit your consumption of Monster Energy drinks and be aware of the serving size. Follow up with your physician if you believe you are having negative side effects.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, puts your body at risk for numerous additional illnesses. Having high blood pressure can harden your arteries, strain your kidneys and cause permanent damage to your heart. Information provided by the University of California states that intakes of more than 100 mg of caffeine per day can increase your risk of hypertension. Monster Energy drinks contain about 80 mg of caffeine per serving, or 160 mg per can. Severe side effects can occur after you consume 400 mg of caffeine in one day.

The high sugar and caffeine content in Monster Energy drinks can keep you wired for hours and cause you to lose sleep. Medline Plus reports that caffeine is absorbed by your body quickly and distributed through the bloodstream. From this point it quickly accesses your brain. This can cause the caffeine to have an effect for hours after you drink it. Monster also contains additional ingredients such as carnitine, guarana, ginseng and taurine. Each of these ingredients are believed to increase your energy which may be disruptive to you before bedtime. Do not consume Monster Energy drinks after lunchtime to avoid complications when trying to fall asleep.

The high caffeine content in Monster Energy drinks can also cause an arrhythmia in your body. Arrhythmia occurs when you feel a fluttering in your chest or rapid heart beat. In a healthy adult, these symptoms should be temporary and disappear on their own. You may also experience chest pain, restlessness, dizziness or shortness of breath, as reported by MayoClinic.com.

Excessive caffeine consumption can also speed up your digestive tract which can cause you to urinate more frequently. Not only is this unpleasant, but it can also make you become dehydrated very quickly. The University of California attributes increased urination with caffeine consumption greater than 400 mg per day. If you are looking for energy, better concentration or increased endurance from Monster Energy drinks, drink water as well to avoid dehydration.