In the Facebook Story of the Day viewers wanted to know if energy drinks are bad for you. Health officials say they don't help people focus.
ALBANY, GA -- In Wednesday's Facebook Story of the Day viewers wanted to know if energy drinks are bad for you.
The simple answer: yes.
Health officials strongly suggest people avoid them. Dr. Vicki Phillips, Albany State University’s Family Nurse Practitioner, says the side effects alone are bad for people. The symptoms, she says, include elevated heart rate, insomnia, poor appetite and poor fine motor skills.
"They take it for the energy and they take it because they tend to think it helps them focus but in reality it causes a distraction because of the elevated heart rate, maybe even elevated blood pressure and maybe even because they have the insomnia," says Phillips.
She also adds to not combine high energy drinks with over the counter medications or prescriptions. Phillips says people with heart disease or a family history of heart disease should not consume energy drinks.
Phillips says if you need extra energy, maintain a healthy diet, eat a full breakfast, take vitamins and get plenty of rest.
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