Energy Drinks With Carnitine Dangerous Link For Heart Disease

Posted by Cathy on

A study just released from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio shows energy drinks with carnitine, a common additive not always disclosed on the labels, has been tied to heart disease.  The amount of carnitine found in energy drinks varies and may be harmful especially in doses of more than 3 grams daily.  The Cleveland Clinic study showed carnitine contributes to hardening of the arteries.

The research group, led by Dr. Hazen, section head of preventive cardiology and rehabilitation, found the link between heart disease and carnitine and the bacteria in the intestine that digests carnitine.  If you ever wondered why docotors recommend limiting red meat in your diet if you have heart issues, it it’s because carnitine is also found in red meat.

“It’s shifting their [gut] flora to one that’s more likely to promote atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries,” said Dr. Hazen.  “I wouldn’t want my family members drinking these.”

 

Energy Drinks Reviewed On Dr. Oz

Posted by Cathy on

happy energyOne of the funniest Dr. Oz Shows I ever saw was his show about a new miracle energy drink.  Last season on a Dr. Oz show, the audience was given a new energy shot before the show and then asked if they could feel it working at the beginning of the show.  Many audience members volunteered to share how they felt after drinking this "miracle" drink, and many said they felt more energetic and really liked how it was working.

 

The twist was that the drink they were given was nothing more than water.

 

It was an embarrassing moment for many!

 

Dr. Oz's guest, Dr. Keri Peterson mentioned one of the biggest problem right now with energy drinks is the fact that any person at any age can buy these highly caffeinated and highly sweetened drinks.   Grade school and middle school kids are now purchasing them for a quick spurt of energy.  This is definitely not healthy for kids and the biggest problem is that most of the drinks do not label how much caffeine they contain.

 

New York's attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman has starting a campaign to get the makers of energy drinks to be more transparent.  He says the manufacturers are "duping" consumers with claims of ingredients like guarana and ginseng, but really the ingredient providing the stimulant effect is caffeine.  Consumers should be told how much caffeine is in any given product.

 

If you are needing a boost of natural energy, consider Energy Booster Herb Pack. It contains only natural herbs ike ginseng, goji berries and other herbs with extensive research on their natural energy enhancing properties.  These Chinese herbs are prized around the world and are non-addictive. 

 

There is no caffeine in Pacific Herbs Energy Booster packets. 

 

The best part of Energy Booster Herb Pack is the ease of adding it to a bottle or glass of water.  Definitely a turbo boost that will get you through your afternoon or your workout with a sustained feeling that your body provides naturally.  I like to eat the powder right from the stay fresh packets.  It tastes so great and works so fast.  I love it because I know I'm giving my body a healthy boost of energy, not a cup of caffeine, sugar or other chemicals.

What You Need To Know About Energy Drinks

Posted by Cathy on

The news about energy drinks is beginning to reach the main stream media.  Regardless of the size of the market most of the energy drinks are “cans full of drugs”.  Nearly every day somebody is overdosing on energy drinks.  This post by Sari Harrar, explains the phenomenon.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

 

Teens and young adults spend an estimated $2.3 billion annually on energy drinks laced with caffeine and herbal stimulants. But these aggressively marketed and pricey beverages (called “drugs in a can” and “a pharmacological Molotov cocktail” by Oklahoma State University researchers in one recent report) do more than clean out their wallets.

Over 5,000 reported caffeine overdoses in recent years—46 percent in kids age 18 and younger—have been attributed to them, say University of Miami researchers in a 2011 study in the journal Pediatrics. With caffeine levels up to three to five times higher than a 12-ounce cola, these drinks may also contain rev-you-up herbal stimulants like guarana and yerba mate. Liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders, agitation, seizures, psychotic problems, muscle break-down, off-rhythm heartbeats, high blood pressure, heart failure, heart attack and even death have been reported in energy drink users in Europe, the U. of Miami researchers warned. And kids taking medications for attention deficit disorders or who have diabetes or heart problems may be at extra risk.

Denmark, Sweden, Australia and Germany have partial or complete bans on their sale to kids. Last fall, Canada began requiring new warnings and stricter caffeine limits. What’s happening in the U.S.? Here’s what parents should know:

  • The U.S. has no standard definition of an ‘energy drink.’ The Food and Drug Administration only sets caffeine levels on cola drinks, allowing energy-drink makers to pack their beverages with more. (The American Beverage Association has voluntary guidelines for caffeine limits and warning labels, but not all drink makers comply.)  Many contain even higher levels than may be listed on the label, because herbs like yerba mate also pack considerable amounts of caffeine.
  • They’re marketed aggressively to preteens and teens.  Flavors like strawberry lemonade and apple cherry and slogans like “party like a rock star!” and ‘ultimate energy rush’ are just the beginning. Energy-drink websites lure kids with come-ons about bands, athletes and celebrities. Coupons and free samples get them started.
  • Energy drinks don’t help performance.  They made timing, coordination, alertness and concentration worse in one Oklahoma State University study of student pilots. In fact, after triggering a burst of stress hormones and feel-good brain chemicals, your energy levels plummet.
  • One can isn’t one serving. Many contain 2 or even 4 servings per can—but who (especially a thirsty teen) stops at a quarter-can? Drinking the whole thing means they’ve just downed two to four times more caffeine than they’d get from a single serving.

What can you do? Talk with your kid about the downsides of these drinks. And help them save money (energy drinks can cost $2 to $4 a can) by offering bottled water, herbal iced tea (make it at home with fruity herbal tea bags, water, and a little sugar) or seltzer with juice or a squeeze of lemon.

Let us know what you’re doing—and how you feel about energy drinks marketed to kids by leaving your comments here.

 

Our Need For Speed Is Going Herbal

Posted by Cathy on

natural energy boostersDo you have enough energy to stay ahead of the game? 

You can if you know the rules of the game.

Building, storing and keeping energy are the keys. But today’s fast paced, multitasking world creates many different stressors on our bodies. Often physical and emotional stress can drain us.   With so much on our plates, how do we take enough time to give our body the fuel it needs to cope in our ultra-fast, get it done yesterday environment?   

Eat well, build muscle and fat to store energy and then our bodies have enough to survive and thrive.   These rules have always applied, but getting the right, high octane fuel is not so easy in our modern world. This is where coffee comes in handy. It is the perfect natural stimulant, right? It’s cheap, works fast and gives us that energy boost we desire. Yet, coffee does not contain anything that PRODUCES energy, it simply causes your body to release adrenaline into the blood.   Adrenaline is a hormone that produces the “fight or flight” response. It is also known as the hormone epinephrine. Constant stress or surges of adrenaline caused by an overuse of caffeine can “burn out” or deplete your adrenal glands.  

In other words, coffee forces the body to create and release energy

it doesn’t really have at the time.

The real problem is that you don’t know you are depleting your adrenals until you have exhausted this reserve. When you are running on empty, you can feel run down and feel compelled to add stimulating substances like sugar and more caffeine to get through the day. 

Incredibly,  our “need for speed” can be energized and replenished with natural herbal stimulants. Nature has provided us with herbs called adaptogenes. There are only a handful of herbal adaptogens which include American Ginseng, Siberian Ginseng, Rhodiola, and Cordyceps. These tonic herbs energize the body within minutes when high quality herbs are used. These herbs let you stay ahead of the game. 

Tonic herbs build energy reserves by giving your body an

incredible array of

nutrients to create real and lasting energy. 

The extraordinary naturally occurring chemical compounds in ginseng include ginsenocides, polysaccharides, saponins and several steroid compounds  have been studied at major institutions around the world. These herbal compounds help the body recover from stress and fatigue while their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties regulate blood sugar. Some nutrients in ginseng act similar to anabolic steroids which are found in the body and are a safe alternative for athletes instead of synthetic steroids. Another component in ginseng is germanium which has a powerful hydrogenating effect on the body, especially on the liver.

In addition, there are more than eight different ginsenocides in various types of high quality  ginseng which act as adrenal tonics.   Korea has a University dedicated to studying different types of ginseng and Japan, Germany, Taiwan and China all have approved ginseng in their national health insurance coverage.  Think about it, coffee is not paid for in the government insurance programs but ginseng is!

Ginseng is a safe herb that can be consumed every day without

any of the damaging effects of excessive caffeine. 

A combination of blood tonic herbs and adaptogenic herbs is best and this perfect combination is found in Energy Booster Herb Pack. This combination of herbs in Energy Booster Herb Pack has been used for over 500 years to promote energy and vitality. Energy Booster Herb Pack has two types of ginseng, Asian ginseng and American ginseng. In addition, it contains goji berries and 10 other herbs all which work together to boost your energy naturally. 

 

Build your body’s energy reserves, naturally. Artificially draining your adrenals day and day out is no way to stay ahead of the game.  Find out why other countries include ginseng in their national health insurance to insure the health and well being of their population.  There is no reason to go about your day being physically and mentally drained. The perfect answer to supplement your daily energy needs is now easy and convenient. Energy Booster Herb Pack tastes great in water or just dissolve the concentrated herbal extract in your mouth.  You’ll feel the boost almost immediately and discover the energy you have been missing to stay ahead of the game.