Energy drinks are refreshing and tasty. They’re easy to find and pretty cheap. They help us get through a long day or a long workout. They’re everywhere.
We know it’s hard to say no to an energy or sports drink, But sodas can have ill effects on your smile, leading to cavities and even tooth decay.
Highly Acidic
A new study indicates that energy drinks contain enough acid to ruin teeth in just five days of regular use. In the journal General Dentistry the study tested 8 separate high energy drinks to see how acidic content affects teeth. In conducting their study, researchers submerged actual human tooth enamel into each energy drink for 15 minutes; they then soaked the samples in synthetic saliva for two hours. After this once a day for five days, researchers noted that drinks caused irreversible damage to the enamel samples: a problem that leads to sensitivity and decay in actual teeth.
A Serious Issue
It’s important to note that the researchers also tested 12 sports drinks in their study, including the popular Gatorade brand. Interestingly, these drinks also caused serious damage to tooth enamel. According to the study’s lead author, this is a troubling issue, since 50 percent of American teens consume energy drinks on a daily basis and 62 percent drink at least one sports drink every 24 hours.
JUST one 200ml can of energy drink could significantly increase anxiety and depression in young males, a new study has found. The study of more than 900 young people by the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has identified energy drinks as a “potential risk factor” for mental health problems in men.
Study lead author Georgina Trapp said the 567 female participants in the study were not affected by the energy drinks, but there was a worrying link between anxiety and energy drinks in males