One of the latest fads among high school athletes is guzzling energy drinks and amping up on vitamin supplements, but a number of experts say they may be doing more harm than good.
“It’s that win in the bottle, the energy drink, the extra vitamins. Our society has become so caught up with it,” said Soddy-Daisy wrestling coach Steve Henry, who continually warned his athletes this past season. “Some were taking a pill that’s supposedly good for electrolytes, and another was drinking those energy drinks.
“If you’re actually that feeble-minded to think that one thing is the difference in winning and losing, then you’re stupid. It’s like all the work and sweat every day doesn’t mean anything. We’re in a society where all of those drinks and pills are pushed.”
A New York Times article in 2008 said that super-caffeinated energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Amp had surged in popularity in the past decade and that the 12-24 age group had pushed annual sales over $3 billion. Those drinks contain stimulants such as caffeine and herbal supplements.
Higher consumption of such drinks in teens is associated with “toxic jock” behavior, a mix of risky and aggressive behavior including substance abuse, according to a report in The Journal of American College Health written by Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo.