If I had a dime for each time a friend or co-worker told me they were taking some new vitamin or dietary supplement, I would be rich.  We all want to feel better and look better and often our crazy schedules make eating right and getting enough sleep and exercise seem impossible.  We are all under so much pressure these days to work more,  read more, exercise, floss our teeth, spend more time with our families, get our kids involved in every activity imaginable, travel more, keep up with friends on social media, etc.  Taking a lunch break at work, sadly has even become looked upon negatively.  It makes sense that we want more convenient ways of doing everything from eating to losing weight.

I am here to warn you that any claim that criticizes or discredits the scientific or medical community should be questioned.

Any supplement that claims that weight loss is fast or easy should be challenged.

Safe weight loss is 5 lbs the first week and 1-2 lbs each week following.

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Even if you don’t watch the news, you know there have been multiple stories of teen deaths associated with energy drinks or supplements.  Caffeine in moderation can even be beneficial to your health, however excess caffeine can be detrimental.  If you’re getting greater than 400 mg of caffeine a day, this could be enough to cause negative side effects.  Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others therefore, side effects may be greater with lesser amounts of intake.

Caffeine is an ingredient in many “energy boosting” vitamins marketed at health food stores or even gyms and is often a main additive in a multitude of over-the-counter weight loss supplements.  Taking supplements or drinking too much caffeine along with supplements that contain ephedrine, Echinacea and Theophylline (Theo-24, Elixophyllin, Uniphyl, Theo-Dur, Theochron, Quibron-T) could amplify the side effects of caffeine and can even increase the risk of seizures, heart attack and stroke.

I’m not blaming energy drinks for anyone’s untimely death.  What I am saying is something that I want everyone to pay attention to:

Manufacturers of dietary supplements are not legally required to prove to the FDA that their product does what the label claims to do nor do they even have to prove that their product is safe before you and I and anyone else can purchase it.

Energy supplements and energy drinks unfortunately fall into the category of dietary supplements and therefore are not regulated prior to being sold to the public.
Since energy drinks are relatively new to the consumer market, there aren’t sufficient studies that include extreme intakes of caffeine.

prescription from a professional: I strongly recommend that no one take any supplement aside from a daily multivitamin and that includes isolated vitamins or minerals unless it has been recommended by your physician.

*something you may not know: Some energy drinks, including those with guarana can contain as much caffeine as 8 cups of coffee.  That is double the recommended upper level intake of caffeine.

Related post: 2 Simple Ways to Start Losing Weight NOW!

If you feel overwhelmed by all the nutrition advice, calorie recommendations and diet trends, read these: Fact. Not Fad., Let’s Crunch Numbers!, Help Me To Help You!

 

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