Moderate caffeine intake okayed by healthcare expert

Paul Smithson

28/11/2011 13:53:34

Consumers have been advised against drinking energy drinks to battle fatigue, whereas the consumption of a couple of cups of coffee per day was approved.

Dr Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, a physician at Wishard Memorial Hospital and associate professor of paediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, told IndyStar.com that drinking caffeinated drinks in moderation is fine.

In contrast, the news provider pointed out that some energy drinks have twice or three times the caffeine of what comes out of people’s coffee pods, which can lead to energy crashes once it runs out.

Dr Rohr-Kirchgraber explained that people must give their bodies fuel to run on, but this can come in a number of different forms and sometimes may only require some water or a bit of exercise to build more energy.

She said that among the questions people should ask themselves are: “Does my body need water or food? When was the last time I got up? Am I only getting five hours sleep? Is it hard to fall asleep, and am I getting up in the middle of the night a lot?”

Doctors Michael Rozen and Mehmet Oz echoed this sentiment on Inforum, explaining that energy drinks have the potential to backfire significantly for drinkers, since they can make it harder for people to get a good night and can lead to more fatigue in the long term.

They gave their views responding to a reader who was considering using energy drinks to give them enough stamina to handle the exhausting holiday season.