How Energy Drinks Affect Your Body Within 24 Hours

Last year, the World Health Organization hailed energy drinks a "danger to public health," after they found consumption of such beverages is on the rise. Now, an infographic created by website Personalise.co.uk claims to show exactly what happens to the body in the 24 hours after consuming an energy drink.

Created using information from sources including the UK's National Health Service (NHS), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and energy drink manufacturer Red Bull, the infographic follows another that went viral earlier this month, revealing how Coca-Cola affects the body within 1 hour of drinking it.

This new infographic, however, details what an energy drink - namely, a can of Red Bull - does to the body over a 24-hour period.

Energy drinks are marketed as beverages that boost mental and physical performance. Caffeine is the most common stimulant in these drinks, but some brands contain other plant-based stimulants, such as guarana and ginseng.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the amount of caffeine in a can or bottle of energy drink can range from 80 mg to over 500 mg. For comparison, one 5-ounce cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine.

Like soda, energy drinks are also high in sugar. A 250 ml can of Red Bull, for example, contains around 27.5 g of sugar.

Numerous studies have suggested energy drinks can have negative health implications. A 2013 study reported by Medical News Today, for example, found energy drinks alter the heart function of healthy adults, while another study linked energy drink consumption to other unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking.

But what exactly do energy drinks do to the body after we consume them?

Sugar crashes, energy slumps and caffeine withdrawal

According to the infographic, caffeine enters the bloodstream within 10 minutes of consuming an energy drink, triggering a rise in heart rate and blood pressure

Over the next 15-45 minutes, caffeine levels in the bloodstream peak. As a result, an individual will feel more alert and experience improved concentration.

"Caffeine is a crafty drug that temporarily blocks adenosine [a chemical involved in how tired we feel] pathways, giving you a boost while allowing 'feel good' molecules in the brain - such as dopamine - to be released more readily. You feel more alert and you feel better about yourself," science communicator and food researcher Dr. Stuart Farrimond told The Daily Mail.

All of the caffeine is absorbed within 30-50 minutes of consuming an energy drink, according to the infographic, and the liver responds to this by soaking up more sugar into the bloodstream.

This infographic depicts what happens to the body after consuming a can of energy drink.
Image credit: Personalize.co.uk

Within an hour, the effects of the caffeine will begin to subside and a sugar crash may occur. Energy levels will begin to feel low and tiredness will set in.

It will take around 5-6 hours for the body to achieve a 50% reduction in the amount of caffeine in the bloodstream - known as the "half-life" - and it is likely to take double this amount of time for women on birth control pills. It takes an average of 12 hours for the body to completely remove the caffeine from the bloodstream, though this does depend on individual factors.

"Pregnancy, liver damage and other drugs can also slow the rate at which caffeine is eliminated from the body," Dr. Farrimond told The Daily Mail. "Importantly, children and teenagers have a significantly longer half-life, meaning caffeine will remain in their bloodstream for longer and at higher levels than for adults. This is why caffeinated drinks can cause behavioral problems and anxiety issues in children."

Caffeine withdrawal may occur 12-24 hours after consumption

The infographic claims that individuals who consume energy drinks regularly may experience caffeine withdrawal in the 12-24 hours after consumption, which includes symptoms such as headache, irritability and constipation.

Dr. Farrimond explained that withdrawal symptoms can last up to 9 days and the severity depends on the amount of caffeine consumed.

For regular energy drink consumers, it takes around 7-12 days for the body to adapt to a regular intake of caffeine, according to the infographic. An individual is unlikely to experience a boost from the beverages once their body gets used to them.

While the information provided in this infographic is not new, it does help shed light on why so many studies have cited the health implications of energy drinks.

Still, energy drink consumption is rising, In the US, sales of the beverages increased by 60% between 2008 and 2012.

Energy drinks are particularly popular with children and adolescents. Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which found that 73% of children consume caffeine on a daily basis - much of which is coming from energy drinks and coffee.

Content Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/298202.php

Bound Angle Yoga Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Bound Angle Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step by Step:

Step 1:

Sit with your legs straight out in front of you, raising your pelvis on a blanket if your hips or groins are tight. Exhale, bend your knees, pull your heels toward your pelvis, then drop your knees out to the sides and press the soles of your feet together.

Step 2:

Bring your heels as close to your pelvis as you comfortably can. With the first and second finger and thumb, grasp the big toe of each foot. Always keep the outer edges of the feet firmly on the floor. If it isn't possible to hold the toes, clasp each hand around the same-side ankle or shin.

Step 3:

Sit so that the pubis in front and the tailbone in back are equidistant from the floor. The perineum then will be approximately parallel to the floor and the pelvis in a neutral position. Firm the sacrum and shoulder blades against the back and lengthen the front torso through the top of the sternum.

Step 4:

Never force your knees down. Instead release the heads of the thigh bones toward the floor. When this action leads, the knees follow.

Step 5:

Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes. Then inhale, lift your knees away from the floor, and extend the legs back to their original position.

Yoga Pose Information:

Sanskrit Name: Baddha Konasana

Pose Level - 1:

Contraindications and Cautions:

• Groin or knee injury: Only perform this pose with blanket support under the outer thighs.

Modifications and Props:

To understand the release of the heads of the thigh bones, fold two blankets and put one under each outer thigh, supporting the thighs an inch or so above their maximum stretch. Then lay a 10-pound sand bag on each inner groin, parallel to the crease between the thigh and pelvis. Release the thigh heads away from the weight, and let them sink into the blankets. Do not use the bags unless the thighs are supported.

Deepen the Pose:

Imagine you have two partners, each pressing inward (toward the pelvis) on a knee. From the middle of your sacrum, push out along the outer thighs against this imaginary resistance. Then push the heels firmly together from the knees.

Preparatory Poses:

• Supta Padangusthasana
• Virasana
• Vrksasana

Follow-up Poses:

• Standing poses and most seated twists and forward bends.

Beginner's Tip:

It can be difficult to lower the knees toward the floor. If your knees are very high and your back rounded, be sure to sit on a high support, even as high as a foot off the floor.

Health Benefits:

• Stimulates abdominal organs, ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys
• Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation
• Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees
• Helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue
• Soothes menstrual discomfort and sciatica
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Therapeutic for flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility, and asthma
• Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said to help ease childbirth.
• Traditional texts say that Baddha Konasana destroys disease and gets rid of fatigue.

Partnering:

A partner can help you learn how to work the inner thighs in this pose. Perform Baddha Konasana. Loop a strap over each groin, with the free ends of the straps leading away from your back torso. Have your partner sit behind you and pull on the straps (perpendicular to the line of the thighs). Your partner can also press one foot lightly against the back of your pelvis at the same time. Lean slightly forward, releasing the heads of the thigh bones away from the straps.

Variations:

Exhale and lean your torso forward between the knees. Remember to come forward from the hip joints, not the waist. Bend your elbows and push them against the inner thighs or calves (but never on the knees). If your head doesn't rest comfortably on the floor, support it on a block or the front edge of a chair seat.

Content & Image Source: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/bound-angle-pose

Children With Pets Have Less Stress

A pet dog may protect your child from childhood anxiety, according to research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Childhood mental illness and obesity are significant public health concerns in the US. Since they start in childhood, preventive and early intervention approaches are needed.

Pet dogs have been linked with health benefits for adults, as promoted by the US Public Health Service (USPHS).

In Australia and the UK, dog ownership has been linked with increased physical activity among children aged 5-12 years and healthier body mass index (BMI) in those aged 5-6 years, due to walking and active play.

Such data is lacking in the US, so more evidence is needed to support pet ownership as a health strategy.

How can pets help mental health?

Pets can stimulate conversation, creating an ice-breaking effect that alleviates social anxiety. Dogs also tend to follow human communicative cues, which could help in emotional development.

Fast facts about pets:

• 36.5% of households in the US own a dog
• 30.4% own a cat
• 1.5% own a horse.

Children aged 7-8 years have previously ranked pets higher than humans as providers of comfort and self-esteem, and as confidants.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) with dogs reduces anxiety and arousal, alleviates separation anxiety and enhances attachment in children, thereby improving mental health and reducing developmental disorders.

Promoting children's behavioral and emotional competence can help prevent mental, emotional and behavioral disorders during adulthood.

If exposure to pet dogs during childhood can help achieve these goals, positive child­-­dog interactions could prevent potential problems from developing during adolescence or later life.

However, there is little evidence for primary care providers to use when counseling parents regarding the benefits of pet dogs for young children.

Can a dog help improve BMI and anxiety?

In the current study, researchers from Bassett Medical Center in New York investigated the hypothesis that pet dogs are positively associated with healthy weight and mental health among children.

The study looked at 643 children aged 4-10 years, with an average age of 6.7 years, over an 18-month period in a pediatric primary care setting. Of these, 45% were female, 56% were privately insured and 58% had pet dogs in the home.

Before an annual visit, parents completed a health risk screener online, focusing on child BMI, physical activity, screen time, mental health and pet ownership.

Confounders included the fact that pet-owning families may differ from those without pets, for example in socioeconomic environment, a known social determinant of health; family income has been significantly associated with adolescent mental health, so the researchers adjusted for this factor.

Less stress for children with dogs

No difference was found between children with and without a pet dog regarding BMI, screen time or physical activity.

But among the 58% of children with a dog in the home, 12% tested positive on a screening test for anxiety, compared with 21% of children who did not have a pet dog.

A strength of the study is that it was carried out in a real-world setting and was based on children in preventive care, a far larger and more inclusive group than in previous studies, which focused on children with mental and developmental disorders.

Parental reporting could be a limitation, although statistics have shown high concordance between actual mental health issues and what parents say. Also, the population was 96% white, suggesting a need for further study in more racially and ethnically diverse populations.

The researchers suggest:

Interacting with a friendly dog also reduces cortisol levels, most likely through oxytocin release, which lessens physiologic responses to stress. These hormonal effects may underlie the observed emotional and behavioral benefits of animal-assisted therapy and pet dogs."

Medical News Today reported recently that animals can detect mood changes and even illness in humans.

Content Courtesy: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/303276.php