Sports and Energy Drinks Again

More today on the dangers of commercailly available sports and energy drinks from Health Day.

In the midst of this just remember this is the reason I created herbalYODA's sportZtea many years ago.  This is an all natural and organic herb blend that allows you to make your own safe and health promoting sports and energy drink at home.

Find out more about herbalYODA's sportZtea here.

Please do heed the warning not to allow your children to chew sugarless gum as the Health day article states, or use articficial sweeteners when making my tea.  These chemicals are implicated in the rise of obesity and diabetes as well as more than 100 health concerns.

WEDNESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Sports and energy drinks are causing irreversible damage to the teeth of teens and young adults in the United States, the authors of a new study claim.
High acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of teeth, the researchers contend in the May/June issue of the journal General Dentistry.
"Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are 'better' for them than soda," study author Poonam Jain said in a news release from Academy of General Dentistry, which publishes the journal.
However, "most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid," Jain said.
For the study, the researchers analyzed acidity levels in 13 sports drinks and nine energy drinks. They found that acidity levels varied widely between brands and even flavors of the same brand. The effect on teeth of these acidity levels were assessed by immersing samples of human tooth enamel in each beverage for 15 minutes, followed by immersion in artificial saliva for two hours.
The cycle was repeated four times a day for five days, to simulate the exposure of teeth in teens and young adults who drink one of these beverages every few hours.
Damage to the tooth enamel was evident after five days, the researchers reported, and energy drinks caused twice as much damage as sports drinks.
Damage to tooth enamel is irreversible, the experts noted. Without the protection of enamel, teeth become overly sensitive and are more likely to decay and develop cavities.
The American Beverage Association (ABA), which represents the beverage industry, took issue with the study.
"This study was not conducted on humans, and in no way mirrors reality," the group said in a statement released Wednesday. "The authors used slices of tooth enamel samples from extracted molars, and then placed them in petri dishes of liquid for extended periods of time. People do not keep any kind of liquid in their mouths for 15-minute intervals over five-day periods."
The association added that the lab experiments could not mimic the environment of the human mouth, where saliva helps neutralize any acidity from food and drink.
The ABA also noted that other factors besides exposure to food or drinks -- things such as dental hygiene, lifestyle and genetics -- also influence tooth erosion.
According to the dentistry academy, an estimated 30 percent to 50 percent of U.S. teenagers consume energy drinks and as many as 62 percent consume at least one sports drink per day.
People "don't realize that something as seemingly harmless as a sports or energy drink can do a lot of damage to their teeth," Jennifer Bone, a spokeswoman for the academy, said in the news release.
She advised patients to minimize their consumption of sports and energy drinks, and also suggested that they chew sugar-free gum or rinse their month with water after consuming the drinks.
"Both tactics increase saliva flow, which naturally helps to return the acidity levels in the mouth to normal," she explained.
After consuming sports or energy drinks, patients should wait at least an hour before they brush their teeth. Otherwise, they will spread acid onto the tooth surfaces and increase the erosive action, Bone said.

SELECTIONS FROM NATURAL HEALTH NEWS

Natural Health News: There are healthy energy drinks

Mar 27, 2009

... Formula One (sold as ADVENTURX) in 2004. sportZtea is a blend of 5-6 herbs that provide you with nutrients supplying vitamins and minerals to support your health and hydration. No stimulants and no artificial sweeteners.

Natural Health News: Energy Drinks: Again!

Aug 20, 2010

Brewing up a jar of herbalYODA's sportZtea and belending it with pure cranberry juice can be very beneficial. Herbs in our organic tea blend are known to contain nutritional elements: vitamins a, b complex, c, d, e, f, k, p; ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: Energy Drinks

Jan 17, 2012

We encourage you to check out the almost two dozen articles we have posted on Natural Health News about this subject . We also invite you to consider our organic natural herbal blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea, in place of ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: Where There's A Will, There's A Way

Jan 12, 2009

In the interim I'd like to propose the benefits of natural support for sports performance and my organic tea blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea, along with my xtreme sports formula, ADVENTURX. (It's our new special: With each ...

Energy Drinks

UPDATE:15 January 2012

Once again energy drinks are in the news and it appears that it isn't good (no surprise!).
Agence France-Presse reports that "Australia experts call for energy drink warnings".


We encourage you to check out the almost two dozen articles we have posted on Natural Health News about this subject .  We also invite you to consider our organic natural herbal blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea, in place of these drinks over loaded with caffeine, artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, and worst of all artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K, and Splenda.  The sports food bars are not far off with too much sugar and too many GMO ingredients.

Learn more here and here.

Researchers in Australia called for health warnings on caffeine-loaded energy drinks following a spike in the number of people reporting medical problems after drinking them.
Health professionals from the University of Sydney's Medical School and the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre said reports of adverse reactions to drinks like Red Bull and V jumped from just 12 in 2004 to 65 in 2010.
Over the seven years to 2010, 297 calls for assistance were recorded with at least 128 people hospitalised with symptoms including heart palpitations, agitation and stomach upsets.
Of these, 20 people had more serious issues, such as seizures and hallucinations.
The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday, said the average person affected was 17 years old and that they often mixed energy drinks with alcohol.
"Our study demonstrates the extent of the growing problem in Australia with energy drink consumption and toxicity, particularly among adolescents," the study's authors wrote.
"Given the clear evidence of toxicity and the growing number of hospitalisations associated with consumption of energy drinks... health authorities should increase awareness of the problem, improve package labelling and regulate caffeine content."
They recommended that "labelling and any marketing of these products should include appropriate health warnings and the national poisons hotline number". A can of energy drink may contain up to 300 milligrams of caffeine -- compared to an average 65-120mg for a cup of drip coffee -- and Poisons Centre medical director Naren Gunja called for more thorough regulation.
"Things to look at would be... how much caffeine do these drinks contain, how many can you buy at once, what age should you be when you buy them, should there be an age limit to being sold the drinks," he said.

Originally posted September 2008


Five years ago I released one of my long used herbal formulas on two college campuses to try to provide help to reduce college binge drinking. My formula makes it so you just don't drink too much, and certainly not enough to get drunk.

Learning that many people mix energy drinks with alcohol is also a concern to me.

In addition to the herbs to help stem the tide of drinking, and in relation to developing my sports enhancement formula (ADVENTURX), I revived the sports drink herbal blend I used to mix up for my kids and others years ago.

You can use my organic, herbal 'sportZtea' blend as the basis for your sports drinks while saving money and avoiding stimulants and caffeine. Using the 'tea' with ADVENTURX makes a lot more sense.

Energy drinks: What you need to know
By David Liu, Ph.D.
Sep 28, 2008
Editor's note: Please note that the statement "Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning with alcohol) that ---" is incorrect. The author meant to say "Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning without alcohol) that ---." By definition, soft drinks are non-alcoholic beverages! We apologize for the error.
Common Questions and Answers about energy drinks

What are energy drinks?

Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning without alcohol) that contain caffeine and other stimulants such as ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng. The beverages may not contain more calories than normal soft drinks, but they are often believed to help enhance performance and boost alertness as some studies showed. Energy drinks are often marketed to people under 30, particularly to college students.

Is it true that energy drinks boost alertness and enhance performance?

At least two studies showed significantly improvements in mental and cognitive performance and increase subjective alertness in those who drank an energy drink. In repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults, an energy drink drastically increased upper body muscle endurance.

Are there any dangers to drinking energy drinks?

High doses of caffeine are known to pose a range of short-term side effects. The problem with energy drinks is probably that there is no regulation in the US about caffeine, which is a natural stimulant. Energy drinks may contain caffeine at a level anywhere between from 50 mg to 505 mg per can or bottle, according to a recent Johns Hopkins study. Without paying attention, people may over-ingest caffeine leading to unintentional caffeine intoxication. Normal adverse reactions induced by high doses of caffeine, particularly in those who are sensitive to the compound, include increased heart rate and blood pressure, in severe cases dehydration, and inability of falling into sleep.

One study showed side effects associated with caffeine in energy drinks include insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia. Four caffeine-related deaths and four seizures have been reported.

When should energy drinks not be used?

Energy drinks should not be used when exercising as fluid loss from sweating and the diuretic activity of caffeine can cause severe dehydration. Energy drinks should not be used in an attempt to offset the effect of alcohol on one's capability of operating a vehicle.

What would happen when energy drinks are combined with alcoholic drinks?

The real danger of caffeine to someone who is drinking is that caffeine could mislead him to believe that he is drinking the right amount of alcohol without realizing that actually he could have been drinking too much.

It is true that caffeine provide alertness. But it does not change the level of alcohol in the blood. Once the stimulant disappears, the depressant effect of the blood alcohol at high concentration would manifest leading to vomiting in one's sleep or respiratory depression.

Both energy drinks and alcohol can be very dehydrating and thus inhibiting the body's ability to metabolize alcohol and boosting the toxicity of alcohol and the hangover.

How safe is it to use energy drinks?

Energy drinks in itself are relatively safe. Most ingredients including ginseng, maltodextrin, inositol, carnitine, creatine, ginkgo biloba, taurine, vitamins and herbs appear to be safe. The only concern is probably caffeine, which varies in its content greatly from brand to brand.

A recent report authored by Reissig CJ, Strain EC, and Griffiths RR at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and published in the Sep 20, 2008 issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence calls for warning labels for energy drinks.

Here is an organic herbal and health promoting sports drink

In the photo is the health promoting organic herbal tea blend that I have made over many years.  The great part about this is that you make your own, and it is safe for kids.  Loaded with vitamins and minerals it is great just made in water, brewed like sun tea, or you may mix it with some organic apple juice as a base if you like a sweeter taste.  To learn more and order go here.  And we'll include a free sample of our sports and energy formula, ADVENTURx. Contact us directly for bulk order pricing.

Kids should never consume energy drinks

PROVIDENCE, R.I., June 3 (UPI) -- A clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents children should not consume energy drinks and they rarely need sports drinks.

Dr. Marcie Beth Schneider, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, and Dr. Holly J. Benjamin of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, said sports drinks and energy drinks are different products.

Energy drinks can contain caffeine, guarana and taurine, and caffeine has been linked to a number of harmful health effects in children. Energy drinks are never appropriate for children or adolescents, said Schneider and Benjamin, co-authors of the report. In general, caffeine-containing beverages, including soda, should be avoided.

"In many cases, it's hard to tell how much caffeine is in a product by looking at the label," Schneider said. "Some cans or bottles of energy drinks can have more than 500 mg of caffeine, which is the equivalent of 14 cans of soda."

Sports drinks contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and flavoring. They are intended to replace water and electrolytes lost through sweating during exercise, the researchers said. Sports drinks can be helpful for young athletes engaged in prolonged, vigorous physical activities, but in most cases they are unnecessary.

"For most children engaging in routine physical activity, plain water is best," Benjamin said in a statement. "Sports drinks contain extra calories that children don't need, and could contribute to obesity and tooth decay. It's better for children to drink water during and after exercise."

The report is published in the journal Pediatrics.Read more: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/06/03/Kids-should-never-consume-energy-drinks/UPI-90711307073918/print/#ixzz1OEPTFvLd

Going to Spring Special - herbalYODA's sportZtea

More than a dozen years ago I started consulting to the supplement industry. From time to time I have developed a number of natural products for health. All these formulas are under the Leaflady and Simply4Health or Northcreek Herbal brands, belonging to our Creating Health Institute (CHI) organization (501c3 non-profit, tax-exempt).

In certain cases CHI licenses a formula to another company as we did with a subset our Formula 1 cellular oxygenator. Unfortunately for CHI the company marketing the subformula hasn't kept up their end of the contract, and owes us quite a bit of money. Folks in motocross and other extreme sports should remember this when then purchase those fancy red capsules in the aluminum bottle.  Lately they have stolen our concept of the PUMP-X sport drink and renamed it Generate.  Both these are illegal and fraud as well as violating copyright and more. Don't go for counterfeit, get the original from the creator of the formula!.

For now, although we have more in the pipeline, we are re-introducing our sportZtea, originally from the 70s.  It's an herbal blend to make your own energy drinks at home. This is an herbal tea blend: easy to brew, healthy benefits, no caffeine, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial colors-flavors-sweeteners.

And all the herbs are organic...

Mention you read this and get your discount.

Energy Drinks: Again!

Aug 20, 2010

herbalYODA's sportZtea is an all-organic blend of herbs that you brew yourself. You can add organic apple juice or enjoy it plain as it has some natural sweetness. For those who like it extra sweet we recommend Just Like Sugar or ...

NEW - sportZtea

Feb 05, 2008

For now, although we have more in the pipeline, we are introducing sportZtea, an herbal blend to make your own energy drinks at home. This is an herbal tea blend: easy to brew, healthy benefits, no caffeine, no high fructose corn syrup, ...

Compartment Syndrome Conundrum

Aug 23, 2010

And it goes with our organic herbal energy tea blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea very well. This information is provided by Creating Health Institute through our Health Matters(c) project.

Germans Ban Red Bull, Problems in Hong Kong

May 26, 2009

Purchase the safe herbal blend herbalYODA's sportZtea UPDATE: Cocaine again found in Red Bull. Traces of cocaine 'found in Red Bull' in Hong Kong Tue Jun 2, 4:49 am ET HONG KONG (AFP) – Hong Kong officials say they have found traces of ...

Where There's A Will, There's A Way

Jan 12, 2009

In the interim I'd like to propose the benefits of natural support for sports performance and my organic tea blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea, along with my xtreme sports formula, ADVENTURX. (It's our new special: With each bottle of

Natural Health News: There are healthy energy drinks

Mar 27, 2009

However, in an effort to stem this tide, herbalYODA developed an herbal sports tea blend shortly after creating Formula One (sold as ADVENTURX) in 2004. sportZtea is a blend of 5-6 herbs that provide you with nutrients supplying

NYC Marathoner Dies

Nov 03, 2008

Our new herbal sportZtea blend provides electrolytes and since we advise you to use raw honey for sweetness, it aids perfomance and stamina. Runner, 58, finishes NYC Marathon, collapses, dies Sun Nov 2, 2008 ...

Energy Drinks

Sep 30, 2008

You can use my 'sportzTea' blend as the basis for your sports drinks while saving money and avoiding stimulants and caffeine. Using the 'tea' with ADVENTURX makes a lot more sense. Energy drinks: What you need to know By David Liu, Ph. ...

Ignorance and Sports Drinks

Apr 06, 2009

Our herbalYODA's sportZtea is a healthier alternative. We also suggest our natural tooth powder that helps rebuild dental enamel. Sports Drinks May Damage Your Teeth Researchers Say the Drinks Cause Tooth Erosion; Beverage Industry ...

Energy Drinks: Again!

While this article is continuing on the information we first reported about sports drinks in 2005, it fails to include the fact that many of these products do contain artificial sweeteners that are known to be toxic. These sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and liver toxic-diabetes promoting HFCS, and the newer erythritol-based/altered stevia products.

Our organic tea blend can be an excellent substitute for the commercially available products, and it carries with it real nutritional support and healthy sweetening.

herbalYODA's sportZtea is an all-organic blend of herbs that you brew yourself. You can add organic apple juice or enjoy it plain as it has some natural sweetness. For those who like it extra sweet we recommend Just Like Sugar or natural stevia ( link to both in the right column).

Energy drink caffeine = 14 cans of Coke
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Energy drinks can contain as much as 505 milligrams of caffeine in a single container, or the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, U.S. researchers say.

Study authors Stephanie Ballard of Nova Southeastern University and colleagues Jennifer Wellborn-Kim and Kevin Clauson say energy drinks typically feature caffeine and a combination of other ingredients -- including taurine, sucrose, guarana, ginseng, niacin, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin -- but most of the performance-enhancing effects can be linked to caffeine.

"There is conflicting evidence of the impact of energy drinks on weight loss, although some data suggest that combining energy drink use with exercise may enhance body fat reduction," Ballard says in a statement. "Increases in burning calories and losing weight are likely subject to diminishing returns as users become habituated to caffeine."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration limits caffeine in soft drinks to 71 mg/12 fluid ounces, but energy drinks can have as much as 505 mg of caffeine in a single container, Ballard says.

"Caffeine has been reported to cause insomnia, nervousness, arrhythmia, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy and childbirth complication, gastrointestinal upset and death," Ballard says.

The findings are published in journal The Physician and Sportsmedicine.

Selections from a dozen or more posts - Natural Health News:
There are healthy energy drinks
Mar 27, 2009
Commercial energy drinks are all the buzz and have been for a number of years now. Those quick energy poppers at the grocery check out are probably in the same class. Most of these contain sucralose (a toxic hydrochlorocarbon) or a ...
Energy Drinks
Sep 30, 2008
Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning without alcohol) that contain caffeine and other stimulants such as ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng. The beverages may not contain more calories than normal soft drinks, but they are often believed ...
Learn More Facts About Energy Drinks
Oct 13, 2009
For some time we have been writing about energy drinks, and out most recent update gives you information along with the several other articles we have posted about energy drinks here on Natural Health News. Safe Energy Drink ...
Ignorance and Sports Drinks
Apr 06, 2009
The popular energy drinks sipped by many athletes to increase stamina contain levels of acid that can cause tooth erosion, hypersensitivity, and staining, according to the findings of New York University dental researchers. ...

Learn More Facts About Energy Drinks

A new article has been posted regarding Red Bull and some issues I am sure most people do not consider when they purchase this product. The write notes that France & Denmark have banned it.

For some time we have been writing about energy drinks, and out most recent update gives you information along with the several other articles we have posted about energy drinks here on Natural Health News.

Safe Energy Drink

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/05/germans-ban-red-bull.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/ignorance-and-sports-drinks.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/there-are-healthy-energy-drinks.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/energy-drinks.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-sportea.html

Make all-natural, electrically charged, concentrated mineral water that energizes and provides mental, emotional and physical support to the body. Just mix two teaspoons into a quart of pure drinking water and drink throughout the day for all day energy.

Other sources -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15403552/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/wid/11915773//
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jan2007-weekly/us-12-01-2007/p7.htm

Germans Ban Red Bull, Problems in Hong Kong

UPDATE: Here's a 2007 article about Red Bull, the writer encourages, as I do, label reading.
---------------------
REPOSTED from 5/26/09
Purchase the safe herbal blend herbalYODA's sportZtea
UPDATE: Cocaine again found in Red Bull

Traces of cocaine 'found in Red Bull' in Hong Kong Tue Jun 2, 4:49 am ET

HONG KONG (AFP) – Hong Kong officials say they have found traces of cocaine in cans of Red Bull, a few days after Taiwanese authorities confiscated close to 18,000 cases of the popular energy drink.

Officials at the Centre for Food Safety said a laboratory analysis found tiny amounts of the illegal drug in samples of "Red Bull Cola," "Red Bull Sugar-free" and "Red Bull Energy Drink", a spokesman said.

The drink has now been taken off the shelves of major supermarkets, the spokesman said in a statement issued late Monday. He added that the amount of cocaine found in the drinks posed little health danger.

Red Bull moved quickly to deny the findings and said independent tests on the same batch of drinks had found no traces of cocaine.

The Centre for Food Safety found traces of cocaine between 0.1 and 0.3 micrograms of the illegal drug per litre, the statement said.

Hong Kong's commissioner for narcotics, Sally Wong, said the government was now taking legal advice on any possible liability for importers and retailers.

"Cocaine is a dangerous drug... The possession and dealing in the drug is a criminal offence," she said in the statement.

Red Bull's Asia Pacific marketing director, Daniel Beatty, said the firm strongly disputed the findings.

"It would have been absolutely impossible for the Hong Kong or any other authorities to have found traces of cocaine in Red Bull Energy Drink," he said in a statement.

"We expect the Hong Kong authorities to recognize their error soon," he said, adding the firm's representatives were already meeting with Taiwanese authorities to point out the error.

Taiwan officials said Saturday they had confiscated nearly 18,000 cases of Red Bull imported from Austria after finding it contained traces of the drug.

Taiwanese authorities ordered the drinks to be removed from shelves pending further investigation.

Red Bull, whose advertising slogan is "Red Bull gives you wings," was founded by Austrian toothpaste salesman Dietrich Mateschitz in the 1980s.

It has since become one of the dominant players in the global energy drinks market.

UPDATE: Red Bull responds to German Cola concerns

Santa Monica, Calif., (May 26, 2009)--After analyzing a single can of Red Bull Simply Cola, the German Nordrhein-Westfalen Institute of Health and Work, raised concerns with German authorities regarding the inclusion of de-cocainized coca leaf extract in the product. READ ARTICLE

Remember that cola drinks in aluminum cans cause a reaction that can impact bone health. Low cal drinks with aspartame promote exhaustion, diabetes, and other health problems.
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Now you know why I developed herbalYODA's sportZtea!

Germans Ban Red Bull; Similar Move in U.S. Could Create $1.5 Billion Void in Energy Drink Market

May 26, 2009

Red Bull, the top-selling energy beverage in the United States and a drink that was banned in France until 2008, has now been pulled off retail shelves in Germany after researchers found trace amounts of cocaine in the drink. Food safety officials in the North Rhine-Westphalia state found 0.4 micrograms of cocaine per liter during routine testing of the beverage.

“The institute examined Red Bull Cola in an elaborate chemical process and found traces of cocaine,” said Bernhard Kuehnle, head of the food safety department within Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. The ministry said that the amount of cocaine found in the drink did not pose a threat to public safety, but five other German states also banned the drink over concerns about drug content.

Red Bull refuted the claims in a public statement. “Decocainised coca leaf extracts are used as flavoring in foodstuffs around the world and are considered to be safe,” the company said. “Red Bull Cola and other foodstuff containing such extracts may therefore be sold legally.” Other tests commissioned by the company found no cocaine in the beverage. Red Bull awaits a more detailed report from Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment on May 27.

The German ban follows stepped up efforts by U.S. legislators to ensure that energy beverages sold domestically are safe for consumption, especially by children. It also comes on the heels of multiple examples of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration increasing its enforcement of food, beverage and dietary supplement legislation. So it goes without saying that regulatory officials here in the United States, as well as some of the company’s top competitors, will anxiously await the conclusion of Red Bull vs. Germany.

Hypothetically, if Red Bull were to be banned in the United States, the move would immediately create a large void in the energy beverage market. U.S. consumers spent $1.5 billion on Red Bull beverages in 2007, according to Nutrition Business Journal estimates. The popular brand accounted for 32% of all energy beverage sales in the United States in 2007. Total energy drink sales grew 25% to $4.6 billion in 2007. Red Bull’s largest competitor is Hansen Beverage Co., manufacturer of the Monster Energy drink.

Related stories:
Energy Drinks Take a Hit in the Press
CBSnews.com Reports “Caffeine Intoxication” On The Rise
Healthy Energy Rounds First; Natural Sports Drinks Up To Bat
http://nutritionbusinessjournal.com/

Ignorance and Sports Drinks

UPDATE: April 16. Here is an absolutely crazy way for athletes to get energy - use something loaded with artificial sweeteners.

"Researchers tested three drinks. One contained glucose, a sugar. A second had maltodextrin, a tasteless carbohydrate. The third was plain water. All three were laced with artificial sweeteners until they tasted identically sweet."

It's a heart damaging thing, adding all that artificial sweet stuff.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
If one takes the time to look up the ingredients for the "sports" drink category there are a number of red flags as far as health and nutrition.

A major concern is the use of high fructose corn syrup as a key sweetener in these products. HFCS has a negative effect on health and contributes to obesity. It is also involved in dental health, generally in a negative way.

Citric acid is also a concern, and its effect on dental enamel has been known for a very long time.

The inclusion of sucralose, aspartame and acesulfameK are also problematic as are the food colorings and artificial flavorings used in the products.

Aluminum cans react with certain ingredients in these products.

In general we recommend to avoid any products with HFCS and artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners.

Our herbalYODA's sportZtea is a healthier alternative.

We also suggest our natural tooth powder that helps rebuild dental enamel.

Sports Drinks May Damage Your Teeth
Researchers Say the Drinks Cause Tooth Erosion; Beverage Industry Calls Study Methods Unrealistic
By Bill Hendrick, WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
April 3, 2009 -- Sports drinks may boost your energy, but they can also weaken your teeth, a new study shows.

The popular energy drinks sipped by many athletes to increase stamina contain levels of acid that can cause tooth erosion, hypersensitivity, and staining, according to the findings of New York University dental researchers.

The beverages also can cause excessive tooth wear and may damage underlying bone-like material, causing teeth to soften and weaken, the researchers say. The drinks may also possibly trigger conditions leading to severe tooth damage and loss.

The findings are being presented at the International Association for Dental Research in Miami.

"This is the first time that the citric acid in sports drinks has been linked to erosive tooth wear," says Mark Wolff, DDS, professor and chairman of the department of cardiology and comprehensive care at New York University College of Dentistry.

He says people who use sports energy drinks for energy should not brush their teeth immediately after drinking the beverages. Softened enamel, he says, is highly susceptible to the abrasive properties of toothpaste.

To prevent tooth erosion, Wolff says:
Drink sports drinks in moderation.
Wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth to allow softened enamel to reharden.
If you drink a lot of sports drinks, ask your dentist if you should use an acid-neutralizing remineralizing toothpaste to help reharden soft enamel.

Sports Drink Study 'Unfair'
In the study, cows’ teeth were cut in half. Half of the specimens were immersed in a sports drink, the other half in water, and then the halves were compared. The five sports drinks tested were Vitamin Water, Life Water, Gatorade, Powerade, and Propel Fit Water.

All five caused softening, but Gatorade and Powerade also caused "significant" staining, according to an abstract of the study.

Cows’ teeth were used because of their close resemblance to human teeth, according to a news release.

Craig Stevens, spokesman for the American Beverage Association, says such studies are unfair and do not present "an accurate or actual picture of the way sports drinks are consumed."

"The testing procedures they used are outside the realm of what happens in real life," he says. "Beverages pass right through the mouth, and these beverages have a purpose, and are proven to enhance physical performance. To use them like this is simply providing unhelpful information to consumers."

He adds: "To suggest that sports drinks are a unique cause of dental caries or tooth erosion is overly simplistic. Oral health is determined by a variety of factors, including types of food consumed and the length of time foods are kept in the mouth."

SOURCES:
News release, New York University.
International Association for Dental Research, Miami, April 1-4, 2009.
Craig Stevens, spokesman, American Beverage Association.
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/energy-drinks.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/there-are-healthy-energy-drinks.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL

http://www.leaflady.org/sweet_but_not_so_innocent.htm

There are healthy energy drinks

Commercial energy drinks are all the buzz and have been for a number of years now. Those quick energy poppers at the grocery check out are probably in the same class. Most of these contain sucralose (a toxic hydrochlorocarbon) or a blend of aspartame and sucralose or aspartame and acesulfame K (all highly toxic artificial sweeteners)
According to Wikipedia, Red Bull, the most advertised of these drinks, has health risks.

However, in an effort to stem this tide, herbalYODA developed an herbal sports tea blend shortly after creating Formula One (sold as ADVENTURX) in 2004. sportZtea is a blend of 5-6 herbs that provide you with nutrients supplying vitamins and minerals to support your health and hydration. No stimulants and no artificial sweeteners.

And for the man from Austria (not Dr. Mueller-Toeroek) that brought you Red Bull, remind him that you don't need all the stuff in RB to relieve jet lag. I guess you didn't consult this favorite herbalist.

"[edit] Origins of Red Bull
Red Bull was inspired by an energy drink from Thailand called Krating Daeng. Red Bull is the literal translation of Krating Daeng in Thai. (Krating = Bull, Dang = Red) The logo of redbull is even the same as logo of Krating Daeng. Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian entrepreneur developed the Red Bull Energy Drink brand. Mateschitz was the international marketing director for Blendax, a toothpaste company, when he visited Thailand in 1982 and discovered that Krating Daeng helped to cure his jet lag.[2] Between 1984 and 1987, Mateschitz worked with TC Pharmaceutical (a Blendax licensee) to adapt Krating Daeng for the European market. At the same time Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya founded Red Bull GmbH; each investing $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. They gave the remaining 2% to Chaleo's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.[3] Red Bull GmbH launched the Red Bull in 1987, which is carbonated and not as sweet as Krating Daeng, the Thai energy drink. Red Bull entered its first foreign market (Hungary) in 1992, and the United States (via California) in 1997.[4]

Red Bull has taken almost half of the US market for energy drinks, and up to 80% of the market in some other countries.

In 2006, Forbes Magazine listed Chaleo as being the 292nd richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of over $2.5 billion[5] while Mateschitz was listed at number 317.[6]

[edit] Product
Marketed as an energy drink "to combat mental and physical fatigue", it contains, per 250 mL (8.4 U.S. fl. oz.) serving, about 21.5 g sucrose, 5.25 g of glucose, 50 mg of inositol, 1000 mg of taurine, 600 mg of glucuronolactone, vitamin B — 20 mg of niacin, 5 mg of vitamin B6, 5 mg of pantothenic acid and 5 μg of vitamin B12 , 80 mg of caffeine. The caffeine in one serving is similar to that found in an average cup of brewed coffee (typically 100 mg/250 ml cup, but 72 mg for a U.S. regular 6 fluid ounces cup of coffee) or twice as much as found in a can of Coke (40 mg/330 ml can). A sugar-free version has been available since the beginning of 2003. Sugar-free Red Bull is sweetened with aspartame and sucralose, as opposed to sucrose and glucose.

Red Bull has the flavor of a carbonated guarana drink. It is commonly used as a mixer with alcoholic drinks such as vodka, and is the base ingredient in a Jägerbomb.

[edit] Ingredients
A can of Red Bull from the United Kingdom states the ingredients as: Water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, agave, glucuronolactone, caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, caramel and riboflavin. In comparison, a can of Sugar Free Red Bull from the United Kingdom states the ingredients as: water, acidity regulator sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, glucuronolactone, sweeteners (acesulfame K, aspartame), caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, thickener xanthan gum, colours (caramel, riboflavin).

Taurine is a naturally occurring organic acid in the human body and is also present in foods like poultry, fish, and scallops. In addition to being an antioxidant, it is mainly used by the body during physical exertion and stress.[7] In its natural form, taurine is derived from animal tissue, having been first isolated from bull (Bos taurus) bile, hence the name "Red Bull"; however, the taurine used in the Red Bull drink is produced synthetically. It is also the first energy drink to list glucuronolactone in its ingredient list. Glucuronolactone is a carbohydrate involved in detoxification. The chemical naturally occurs in the human body, but is also present in foods like grain and wine.[7] It has often been referred to have a similar taste to Dandelion & Burdock, a traditional British soft drink, drunk in the British Islands since about 1265. Traditionally it is made from fermented dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock (Arctium lappa) roots, and is naturally carbonated.

[edit] Health effects
A review published in 2008 found no documented reports of negative health effects associated with the taurine used in the amounts found in most energy drinks, including Red Bull.[8]

Commonly reported adverse effects due to caffeine used in the quantities present in Red Bull, are insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia (see Caffeine intoxication). In cases of extreme over consumption, death is possible.

A 2008 position statement issued by the National Federation of State High School Associations made the following recommendations about energy drink consumption, in general, by young athletes:[9]

Water and appropriate sports drinks should be used for rehydration as outlined in the NFHS Document “Position Statement and Recommendations for Hydration to Minimize the Risk for Dehydration and Heat Illness.”

Energy drinks should not be used for hydration.
Information about the absence of benefit and the presence of potential risk associated with energy drinks should be widely shared among all individuals who interact with young athletes.
Energy drinks should not be consumed by athletes who are dehydrated.
Energy drinks should not be consumed without prior medical approval, by athletes taking over the counter or prescription medications.

[edit] Anaerobic muscular endurance and work
A study conducted in 2007 on 15 healthy young adults, found that Red Bull consumption led to an acute increase in upper body anaerobic muscular endurance; however, no effect was found on either peak lower body anaerobic muscular work, or average lower body anaerobic muscular work.[10]

[edit] Cardiovascular effects
The results of a single study conducted in 2008 showed that the ingestion of one, 250mL can of sugar-free Red Bull, in a sample of 30 healthy young adults, had an immediate detrimental effect on both endothelial function, and normal blood coagulation. This temporarily raised the cardiovascular risk in these individuals to a level comparable to that of an individual with established coronary artery disease.[11]

Based on their results, researchers involved with the study cautioned against the consumption of Red Bull in individuals under stress, in those with high blood pressure, or in anyone with established atherosclerotic disease.[12]

Red Bull representatives, however, stated that this observed increase in cardiovascular risk was not felt to be different than that associated with drinking a regular cup of coffee. They also stated that they believed that Red Bull must be safe, as it was felt the only way Red Bull could have such substantial global sales is if various health authorities had concluded the drink safe to consume.

There has been at least one case report of Red Bull overdose causing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in a young athlete.[13]

A February 3, 2009 article in The Daily Telegraph called, "Red Bull 'may have triggered heart condition that killed student'" reported on the death of a 21 year-old woman who died after drinking four cans of Red Bull and several VKs, a vodka based drink which also contains caffeine. It was believed, but had not been proven, that she suffered from a rare heart condition called long QT Syndrome[14]. She was on medication for epilepsy. A medical examination found that there were no illegal drugs in her system. The article quoted a doctor as saying, "The QT levels may have grown over a few years, or it may have been artificially pushed over the limit by caffeine." [15]

Energy Drinks May Be Harmful To People With Hypertension, Heart Disease

ScienceDaily (2009-03-26) -- People who have high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid consuming energy drinks, according to a new study. Researchers found that healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink experienced an increase in their blood pressure and heart rate. No significant changes in EKG measurements were reported. ... > read full article

Natural Health News has 38 posts with information about the toxic effects of sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame.

Where There's A Will, There's A Way

Wouldn't it be nice to have a sports season without all this discussion on stimulants? We all know the issue is not going to go away, so not likely.

In the interim I'd like to propose the benefits of natural support for sports performance and my organic tea blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea, along with my xtreme sports formula, ADVENTURX. (It's our new special: With each bottle of ADVENTURX purchased you'll receive a free package of "sportZtea".)

With Spring Training just around the corner, on the tail of the upcoming Super Bowl, self-respecting athletes (whether pro, am, or just a weekend warrior) all would benefit from a more natural approach.

Stimulant exemptions in baseball on the rise
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer, Jan 10, 2009

NEW YORK – Baseball authorized nearly 8 percent of its players to use drugs for ADHD last season, which allowed them to take otherwise banned stimulants.

A total of 106 exemptions for banned drugs were given to major leaguers claiming attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from the end of the 2007 season until the end of the 2008 season, according to a report released Friday by the sport's independent drug-testing administrator.

That's up from 103 therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) for ADHD in 2007, according to figures cited by baseball officials before a congressional committee last year.

"This is incredible. This is quite spectacular. There seems to be an epidemic of ADD in major league baseball," said Dr. Gary Wadler, chairman of the committee that determines the banned-substances list for the World Anti-Doping Agency.

He recommended an independent panel be established — WADA recommends at least three doctors — to review TUE requests in what he termed "a sport that grew up on greenies."

"I've been in private practice for a lot of years. I can count on one hand the number of individuals that have ADD," he said. "To say that (7.86 percent) of major league baseball players have attention deficit disorder is crying out of an explanation. It is to me as an internist so off the map of my own experience."

Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president of labor relations, said it would be a mistake to compare ADHD in baseball with statistics for the general population.'

"We are all male. We are far younger than the general population, and we have far better access to medical care than the general population," Manfred said.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 3 percent to 5 percent of children have ADHD, according to its Web site.

There were 1,348 players subject to testing last season, according to a baseball official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the figure was not in the report. That was down slightly from 1,354 the previous year.

There were a total of 19 positives from 3,486 tests, according to the report.

There were 14 positives for banned stimulants — all first-time offenders, who are not subject to suspension. Five players were suspended for performance-enhancing drugs.

Pitchers J.C. Romero and Sergio Mitre were penalized this week after testing positive for androstenedione, which came from contaminated supplements they purchased over-the-counter. Last season, San Francisco catcher Eliezer Alfonso, Colorado catcher Humberto Cota and Florida pitcher Henry Owens also were penalized.

The drugs that tripped them up were Nandrolone, Stanozolol and testosterone, although it wasn't announced which player tested positive for what drug.

"Pretty low numbers," union head Donald Fehr said of the five major league suspensions.

Rep. Henry Waxman, who chaired hearings into drug use in baseball, said he remained concerned about the large number of exemptions.

"But overall, I am pleased with the steps taken by MLB and the players' union to strengthen their drug testing program and eliminate the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs," he added.

Rep. John Tierney, who brought up the issue last year, was not available for comment.

Just eight TUEs were granted for illnesses other than ADHD: three for hypertension, three for hypogonadism, one for post-concussion syndrome and one for metabolic myopathy. The 114 overall TUEs was up from 111 the previous year.

"All of the prescriptions for stimulants are the result of prescriptions written by doctors, and they also have to be passed on by Dr. Bryan Smith," Fehr said. "I don't know what more there is to say about that."

Starting in 2008, all TUE applications had to be approved by Smith, the program's independent administrator.

The number of new requests for TUE exemptions for ADHD drugs declined from 72 to 56, according to the baseball official.

Baseball toughened its testing program after the 2007 season following recommendations by former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, who spent 1 1/2 years investigating performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. Smith's annual report, which was to have been issued by Dec. 1, was one of Mitchell's recommendations.

Mitchell declined comment, spokesman John Clark Jr. said.

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