claustrophobia9
05-19-2006, 07:12 PM
Well, Musicfest came again at my school, for those of you who don't member basically its a free day where almost anything goes, including grills, tvs/consoles, bands playing etc. well anyway i started the day with a trip to kroger and picked up some energy drinks, my friends say im nearly an expert and ive gotten it down to a science to i figured id share.
Background(Warning: you may learn something, if you dont want to learn, just tldr this section)
Caffeine is a commonly found and searched for aspect of energy drinks and sodas. The problem is that people don't understand the concept of caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant but really it is more like a toxin which doesn't make you go WOOSH! Your body is the part that makes WOOSH, and caffeine just makes your body do that. When caffeine enters your bloodstream it is circulated it reaches your nerves. Your nerves "mistake" caffeine as adenosine which is the chemical that tells your brain that you are tired, or your muscles are tired. The caffeine stays on the nerves (with a halflife in a human of 6hours) and since it only looks like adenosine and doesn't chemically act like it, your nerves are blocked and your body isn't told that it is tired. So instead of slowing down because of the adenosine level, the cells speed up. You can see that caffeine also causes the brain's blood vessels to constrict, because it blocks adenosine's ability to open them up. Your brain gets increased movement and the pituitary gland sees this and assumes there must be an emrgency, releasing adrenaline (this makes you go WOOSH!) effects are:
* Your pupils dilate.
* Your breathing tubes open up (this is why people suffering from severe asthma attacks are sometimes injected with epinephrine).
* Your heart beats faster.
* Blood vessels on the surface constrict to slow blood flow from cuts and also to increase blood flow to muscles. Blood pressure rises.
* Blood flow to the stomach slows.
* The liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for extra energy.
* Muscles tighten up, ready for action.
if you'll notice 2 things for later: blood flow to stomach slows and liver releases sugar... (well talk about that later)
now you know the background of what caffeine does, well discuss why this makes a difference in choosing the energy drink for you.
READ HERE
There are a few other common things found in energy drinks/some sodas:
GINSENG, an herb that has the know effect of reducing risk of cancer, releave physical and emotional stress, improves circulation, and helping oxidize blood, delivers what your muscles need faster. unfortuantly it takes a long time to grow and contribues to high prices on the product.
GUARANA, made well known by BAWLS, this fruit has the most naturally occuring caffeine of any fruit, it also helps oxidize blood.
MALTODEXTRIN, a carbohydrate/enzyme that acts as a fuel for your body to use, it is very easy for the body to break down and make sugars of (which your liver releases while in "shock" from caffeine.
TAURINE, reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases, hypercholesterolemia, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, hepatic disorders, alcoholism, and cystic fibrosis; also is an enzyme which is good, it is also used to help people loose wieght, excess causes hypertension, although you will never get that much from a drink. very abundant and can be found in anything from bacteria to animal tissue, so it is fairly cheep compared to others.
FRUITS, you know the stuff that grows in patches or on trees, its natures gift, those used are sometimes exotic but almost always citric. citruis is a natuatly antitoxant, making you healthier. Fruits also tend to have alot of sugars, and enzymes. guarana is one, but it deserved a group of its own. some you may see are: passion fruit, pineapple, orange, lemon, lime, grape, peach, pear, apple. some have higher levels of caffeine and alone make a good energy drink supplement such as a shot of pure lemon juice (can be fround at kroger in a bottle near fruits, may make some throw up, lime will almost definately make you throw up as it tastes like liquid cleaner)
Analysis
you are looking for a drink with:
ALL of the previous aspects, fruit i will comment on.
* has less carbonation than a soda - since caffeine slows blood to your stomache, it won't be good to have it full of gas, youll get the farts.
*has a sugar and caffeine ratio that fits your ideal plan for it, bawls is a STARTER meaning it relies on you already having some energy, but needing for it to be released, others are uppers which give you energy and use it.
*has fruit that you like, i have to say MONSTER KHOAS gave me the best buzz ever, but it really tasted aweful, it had so many fruits it was like i was drinking the juices that drip from the salad bar.
Recomendations
MORNINGS: BAWLS, ENERGY (by snapple)
BRUNCH: BAWLS, ENERGY, MONSTER ASSUALT, AMP, NOS>
LUNCH:ENERGY, ASSUALT, AMP
AFTERNOON: ENERGY, ASSUALT, AMP
NIGHT: ENERGY, ASSUALT, AMP
BUDGET: ENERGY
overall i recommend energy (elements) by snapple, the stuff has no carbonation, 3 flavors and and everything but guaranna (has unnatural caffiene) it is in a silver tall bottle and costs about half of what everything else does. it may be a bit fruity for some people, i prefer the blue one, rain (white grape and some wierd cactus)
http://www.spgevents.com/coy/images/bs.gif
Warning
caffeine has been know to be bad for a few reasons:
*its not actually addictive on a subconscious level except if you have made a habit, it has been know to be addictive because it causes headaches when your body actually gets the chemical that is blocked in a large quanity.
*it can cause heart problems because of high blood pressure before consumption, but if you get alot of taurine before, you may not need to worry as much.
*it may cause you to write a long thread
*when your body goes into an a state of shock, if there is no sugar to be used it may actually begin taking CALCIUM, a necessity to building bones and bone marrow, which makes blood cells, which carry oxygen,,, and converting it to sugars, this is bad for your overall health and should be avoided, when in doubt of if you have enough sugars before consuming caffeine, eat a candy bar. if you think you may have abused it previously, drink a non chocolate (choc. has caffeine, reversing effects) milk.
claustrophobia out.
tldr? dont care.
Background(Warning: you may learn something, if you dont want to learn, just tldr this section)
Caffeine is a commonly found and searched for aspect of energy drinks and sodas. The problem is that people don't understand the concept of caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant but really it is more like a toxin which doesn't make you go WOOSH! Your body is the part that makes WOOSH, and caffeine just makes your body do that. When caffeine enters your bloodstream it is circulated it reaches your nerves. Your nerves "mistake" caffeine as adenosine which is the chemical that tells your brain that you are tired, or your muscles are tired. The caffeine stays on the nerves (with a halflife in a human of 6hours) and since it only looks like adenosine and doesn't chemically act like it, your nerves are blocked and your body isn't told that it is tired. So instead of slowing down because of the adenosine level, the cells speed up. You can see that caffeine also causes the brain's blood vessels to constrict, because it blocks adenosine's ability to open them up. Your brain gets increased movement and the pituitary gland sees this and assumes there must be an emrgency, releasing adrenaline (this makes you go WOOSH!) effects are:
* Your pupils dilate.
* Your breathing tubes open up (this is why people suffering from severe asthma attacks are sometimes injected with epinephrine).
* Your heart beats faster.
* Blood vessels on the surface constrict to slow blood flow from cuts and also to increase blood flow to muscles. Blood pressure rises.
* Blood flow to the stomach slows.
* The liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for extra energy.
* Muscles tighten up, ready for action.
if you'll notice 2 things for later: blood flow to stomach slows and liver releases sugar... (well talk about that later)
now you know the background of what caffeine does, well discuss why this makes a difference in choosing the energy drink for you.
READ HERE
There are a few other common things found in energy drinks/some sodas:
GINSENG, an herb that has the know effect of reducing risk of cancer, releave physical and emotional stress, improves circulation, and helping oxidize blood, delivers what your muscles need faster. unfortuantly it takes a long time to grow and contribues to high prices on the product.
GUARANA, made well known by BAWLS, this fruit has the most naturally occuring caffeine of any fruit, it also helps oxidize blood.
MALTODEXTRIN, a carbohydrate/enzyme that acts as a fuel for your body to use, it is very easy for the body to break down and make sugars of (which your liver releases while in "shock" from caffeine.
TAURINE, reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases, hypercholesterolemia, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, hepatic disorders, alcoholism, and cystic fibrosis; also is an enzyme which is good, it is also used to help people loose wieght, excess causes hypertension, although you will never get that much from a drink. very abundant and can be found in anything from bacteria to animal tissue, so it is fairly cheep compared to others.
FRUITS, you know the stuff that grows in patches or on trees, its natures gift, those used are sometimes exotic but almost always citric. citruis is a natuatly antitoxant, making you healthier. Fruits also tend to have alot of sugars, and enzymes. guarana is one, but it deserved a group of its own. some you may see are: passion fruit, pineapple, orange, lemon, lime, grape, peach, pear, apple. some have higher levels of caffeine and alone make a good energy drink supplement such as a shot of pure lemon juice (can be fround at kroger in a bottle near fruits, may make some throw up, lime will almost definately make you throw up as it tastes like liquid cleaner)
Analysis
you are looking for a drink with:
ALL of the previous aspects, fruit i will comment on.
* has less carbonation than a soda - since caffeine slows blood to your stomache, it won't be good to have it full of gas, youll get the farts.
*has a sugar and caffeine ratio that fits your ideal plan for it, bawls is a STARTER meaning it relies on you already having some energy, but needing for it to be released, others are uppers which give you energy and use it.
*has fruit that you like, i have to say MONSTER KHOAS gave me the best buzz ever, but it really tasted aweful, it had so many fruits it was like i was drinking the juices that drip from the salad bar.
Recomendations
MORNINGS: BAWLS, ENERGY (by snapple)
BRUNCH: BAWLS, ENERGY, MONSTER ASSUALT, AMP, NOS>
LUNCH:ENERGY, ASSUALT, AMP
AFTERNOON: ENERGY, ASSUALT, AMP
NIGHT: ENERGY, ASSUALT, AMP
BUDGET: ENERGY
overall i recommend energy (elements) by snapple, the stuff has no carbonation, 3 flavors and and everything but guaranna (has unnatural caffiene) it is in a silver tall bottle and costs about half of what everything else does. it may be a bit fruity for some people, i prefer the blue one, rain (white grape and some wierd cactus)
http://www.spgevents.com/coy/images/bs.gif
Warning
caffeine has been know to be bad for a few reasons:
*its not actually addictive on a subconscious level except if you have made a habit, it has been know to be addictive because it causes headaches when your body actually gets the chemical that is blocked in a large quanity.
*it can cause heart problems because of high blood pressure before consumption, but if you get alot of taurine before, you may not need to worry as much.
*it may cause you to write a long thread
*when your body goes into an a state of shock, if there is no sugar to be used it may actually begin taking CALCIUM, a necessity to building bones and bone marrow, which makes blood cells, which carry oxygen,,, and converting it to sugars, this is bad for your overall health and should be avoided, when in doubt of if you have enough sugars before consuming caffeine, eat a candy bar. if you think you may have abused it previously, drink a non chocolate (choc. has caffeine, reversing effects) milk.
claustrophobia out.
tldr? dont care.