- Caffeine and sugar-spiked energy drinks promise a quick pick-me-up.
- Yet experts say that frequently consuming these drinks could be harming your liver.
- When you need a little extra energy, try a cup of unsweetened coffee or tea instead.
Reaching for a caffeinated drink can help kickstart your day or power you through an afternoon slump. In fact, 90% of us consume caffeine on a daily basis. But if you usually get your caffeine kick from an energy drink, it could spell trouble for your liver health. “Energy drinks are defined as over-the-counter commercial beverages with high caffeine content that are advertised to boost energy, including mental alertness and physical performance,” says Sandhya Shukla, M.D. While they may seem like harmless, fizzy alternatives to coffee, they affect your body–and your liver–very differently than the average cup of joe.
Read on to find out what the experts have to say about energy drinks and your liver health, plus their suggestions for healthier alternatives to keep you energized.
How Energy Drinks May Be Harming Your Liver
They Can Deliver Lots of Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can help you feel more energized and alert. But you can have too much of a good thing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that adults consume no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. A 12-ounce energy drink can contain anywhere from 40 mg of caffeine on the low end, to 250 mg on the high end (and 16-ounce cans may pack even more). So, if you down a couple of cans a day, you could be consuming unhealthy amounts of caffeine.
What does all of this mean for your liver? As your body’s primary detoxification system, your liver has to process that flood of caffeine. While the occasional energy drink isn’t likely to cause liver problems, regularly drinking large amounts of highly caffeinated ones could lead to liver injury over time. Coffee, by comparison, has been linked to better liver health, most likely due to its more than 1,000 bioactive compounds.
To complicate matters, energy drinks can be marketed as supplements. When they are, they aren’t required by law to list their caffeine on the Nutrition Facts panel. That means you could be getting a lot more caffeine than you bargained for.
They Can be Packed with Added Sugars
It doesn’t help that energy drinks are super-sweet, says Isabel Balady, RD, CDN. Unlike naturally bitter coffee or tea, it’s easy to guzzle a sugary-sweet energy drink just like soda. Those sugars may be great for providing an initial rush of energy. But it’s usually short-lived and can leave you feeling drained later on.
Since your liver is responsible for ensuring that your blood sugar levels remain steady, consuming too much added sugar day after day can adversely impact your liver health. In fact, research has found that regularly drinking sugar-sweetened beverages–like energy drinks–can cause fat to build up in the liver. This may lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). “Over time, this can impair liver function and cause inflammation,” explains Marcie Vaske, M.S., LN, CNS.
How much sugar are we talking about? Some energy drinks pack 54 to 62 grams of sugar per 16-ounce can. To put that into perspective, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugar to no more than 10% of daily calories. That’s roughly 12 teaspoons (or 50 grams) of added sugar for someone who eats about 2,000 calories a day. So, should you be reaching for a sugar-free energy drink instead? While these may seem like a healthier choice, there’s new evidence that even artificially-sweetened drinks may raise your odds of liver disease.
They Can Contain Harmful Doses of Supplements
Energy drinks often contain a cocktail of supplemental ingredients like vitamins and minerals, as well as herbs like guarana and ginkgo biloba. These ingredients are often marketed as “natural,” which makes them seem wholesome. But it’s your liver’s job to process them all.
One seemingly innocent ingredient commonly added to energy drinks is B vitamins. Yes, B vitamins play an active role in energy metabolism. However, energy drinks often contain considerably more than we really need, even to the point that they may be harmful to your liver. For example, niacin is an important B vitamin, but too much of it can potentially lead to liver toxicity. Some research has even linked high-niacin energy drinks to the development of hepatitis.
Healthier Alternatives
The occasional energy drink is OK for most healthy people. However, if you’re frequently relying on their higher wattage to keep you awake and alert, it may be time to find a healthier alternative, like one of these:
- Coffee: Many people love the caffeine boost of a cup of joe. Coffee also happens to be packed with loads of health-promoting compounds. Some of these may actually lower the risk of liver disease when consumed in moderate amounts, says Balady.
- Tea: While green and black tea have less caffeine than coffee, they contain an energy-boosting amino acid called L-theanine. This amino acid has been shown to promote attention and focus, without the jitters of caffeine.
- Water: Being dehydrated can leave you sluggish. Instead of reaching for caffeine, try a glass of water first. If plain water is a turn-off, Vaske recommends water infused with a little fruit to support hydration.
- Low-Fat Milk: Sure, milk doesn’t contain caffeine. But that doesn’t mean it can’t give you a bit of the energy you’re looking for. Thanks to electrolytes, like potassium, milk is an excellent choice for fending off dehydration. Plus, its natural sugars can boost energy levels while its protein helps sustain them for longer. A winning combo if you ask us!
Our Expert Take
Marketed as energy in a bottle with enticing flavors like “Watermelon Wave”, “Sherbet Swirl” or “Punched Hardcore Apple,” it’s no wonder energy drinks are skyrocketing in popularity. While they may seem like innocent alternatives to coffee, experts warn that their combination of excessive caffeine, added sugars and supplemental ingredients can pose potential health risks for your liver. While the occasional quick fix of an energy drink is OK for most of us, making them your go-to could spell trouble for your health, especially your liver. Next time you need a kick, grab a cup of unsweetened coffee or tea. They’re loaded with compounds that protect your liver and are likely lower in caffeine than most energy drinks. Plus, they’re naturally sugar-free. No matter which drink you choose for energy, don’t forget the basics, like quality sleep, adequate hydration and plenty of healthy, whole foods. They’ll keep your energy levels up in the long run, far better than any drink can.
