To function, the human body needs energy. Energy is powered by the body’s processes, including movement and metabolism.
The body needs energy to generate heat and keep itself at a healthy temperature.
Caffeine is the primary source of energy in the majority of energy drinks. All three energy drinks—Monster, Rockstar, and NOS—have a fair amount of caffeine.
Your nervous system is stimulated by caffeine, and this has a direct impact on your metabolism. The leading cause of your energy spike is due to this.
Also, caffeine has a diuretic effect that causes your body to produce more urine, which increases the amount of water and salt your body excretes. Dehydration may result in extreme situations, causing water retention in the body.
In the following article, we’ll examine this claim in more detail to determine whether water retention is a side effect of energy drinks and, if so, what might be the likely culprit.
What Is Water Retention?
Oedema, also known as water retention or fluid retention, happens when the body retains too much fluid.
Swelling could result from this, which frequently affects the legs, ankles, and feet. The hands may also swell, indicating that your rings are no longer snug. Other signs include gaining weight and a slight “denting” of the flesh under pressure.
Even though it is uncomfortable, water retention is not always a serious problem. Additional symptoms include lymphoedema and lipoedema.
There may be a variety of factors at work if you have water retention, which are as follows:
- Excess insulin
- Poor diet
- Lack of movement
- Being overweight
- Medication
- Pregnancy
It’s important to visit your doctor, especially if you’re over 40 or pregnant, if your water retention has suddenly developed, you have one-sided swelling, or you are experiencing other symptoms that are worrying you.
Ingredients In An Energy Drink That Might Cause Water Retention
Energy drink contains some healthy ingredients that provide the human body with several benefits. These include ginseng, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fruit extracts, and many more.
Energy drinks may not be as beneficial as they are marketed if overconsumed. The presence of caffeine, sugar, and artificial sweeteners in abundance is disturbing for the human body and can end up deteriorating your health.
Let’s have a look at the ingredients in an energy drink that might cause water retention.
Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate, plain and simple, and consuming too much of it raises your insulin levels.
Your kidneys may retain water and sodium as a result of high insulin levels, which means that you are not only gaining water weight but also aggravating it with sodium.
If you or someone close to you has diabetes, you may have noticed swelling in the ankles where fluid has accumulated and given them a puffy appearance.
Water retention can occasionally be a side effect of insulin therapy or diabetes medications. Peripheral edema can occasionally be a sign of diabetes-related kidney issues or heart failure.
Sodium
A number of energy drinks have started adding salt or sodium. Even though the quantity is small, the effects can be bigger than you can imagine.
Consistently consuming too much energy drink may result in your body adding too much salt.
The body holds onto extra sodium when we eat too much salt, which causes the body to hold onto more fluid outside of the cells.
The body can continue to retain fluid and sodium while excreting more sodium in the urine.
Increased sodium intake causes fluid retention, according to numerous studies. The regulation of fluid equilibrium is influenced by a number of other variables, though, and each person’s response to salt’s impacts on water retention will vary.
Let’s have a look at the amounts of sodium present in some of your famous energy drinks.
| Energy Drink | Sodium Quantity |
| AMP | 20mg |
| Rockstar | 40mg |
| Monster | 180mg |
Ginseng
Far eastern Siberia, northeastern China, and Korea are the homes of the Panax ginseng plant. The root is used to make medicine by people.
It is ingested to increase mental clarity, focus, memory, resistance to Alzheimer’s disease, productivity at work, physical stamina, protection against exercise-induced muscle damage, and athletic endurance.
A recent study found that some ginseng preparations contain high concentrations of germanium (Ge), which can lead to diuretic resistance or renal failure. Ginseng has been widely used as a tonic in China for thousands of years.
Does Caffeine Cause Water Retention?
Some plants contain caffeine in naturally occurring amounts. The majority of foods and beverages can also be artificially enhanced with it by manufacturing them.
Caffeine can enter your body, is absorbed, and then travels to your brain. Your nervous system is stimulated by caffeine, and this has a direct impact on your metabolism.
This is the main cause of your energy boost after drinking your favorite caffeinated beverage.
Caffeine cannot be stored by the body. Caffeine is eliminated from the body through increased urination up to six hours after consumption.
As a result, caffeine’s diuretic effects actually aid in the reduction of water retention. You may perspire more when using caffeine because it accelerates thermogenesis, your body’s process for producing heat.
You should drink water while using any diuretic to prevent dehydration. Although caffeine may cause temporary water weight loss, it is not a permanent solution for weight loss.
Know your individual caffeine tolerance. You might experience negative side effects, such as jitteriness, anxiety, irritability, and nervousness if you exceed your tolerance.
When exercising with caffeine, especially in a hot, dry environment, be extra careful to stay hydrated.
Ingredients In An Energy Drink: Treat Water Retention
Energy drinks are known to be harmful due to the presence of strong/reactive ingredients like caffeine and taurine yet some other ingredients have proven to help ease dehydration.
Let’s have a look at these ingredients.
Fruit Extracts/Vitamins
Energy drinks include potassium-rich fruit extracts and vitamin B6, which are well-known for promoting the body’s fluid balance.
Increasing potassium intake by consuming healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is one way to reduce water retention. These foods contain nutrients that aid in limiting the amount of fluid leakage from blood vessels into surrounding tissue.
It is advised to consume potassium-rich foods and beverages rather than potassium supplements.
Aside from potassium, vitamin B6 or pyridoxine intake may also be beneficial. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for the development of red blood cells, protein metabolism, brain health, and immune function.
Taurine
A biologically occurring amino acid with sulfur is taurine. Your heart, muscles, eyes, brain, and eyes are especially condensed with it.
It supports the growth of new nerves. By bringing down blood pressure and calming the nervous system, it may also help those with heart failure.
This amino acid can lessen fluid retention and tissue swelling because it is a natural diuretic. It accomplishes this by keeping sodium out and potassium and magnesium inside the cells.
Depending on what the body needs, it will assist a cell in becoming more hydrated or dehydrated. What’s interesting is that taurine can help control and direct where hydration goes.
Can Energy Drinks Make You Retain Water?
Energy drinks aren’t likely to make you retain water; in fact, many of them contain minerals that can hydrate you.
However, because this beverage contains caffeine, it may act as a diuretic and cause frequent urination.
Despite the fact that this won’t result in dehydration, excessive amounts of these drinks may. Energy drinks also contain high amounts of electrolytes, and vitamins that help with water retention by causing diuresis, leaving the body clean and hydrated.
Can Energy Drinks Cause Weight Gain?
Energy drinks can cause weight gain, especially if you’re consuming one which contains high amounts of sugar and calories.
The majority of energy drinks have a lot of sugar in them, which can significantly increase your daily calorie intake and cause you to gain weight.
If you consume too many sugar-sweetened energy drinks, you are likely to gain weight. The main cause of extra belly fat is the amount of sugar found in energy drinks. To maintain good health, it’s important to consume energy drinks in moderation.
However, if you drink these energy drinks sparingly, choose the right kind with less sugar, and stay active, you can avoid gaining weight from them.
How To Treat Water Retention?
Since doctors are best equipped to determine what is causing the symptoms, a medical consultation is typically necessary to diagnose fluid retention.
This is done in order to develop a treatment and monitoring plan for the patient’s particular needs.
These techniques are typically used as treatments for water retention.
- Limit salt consumption
- Take vitamin B6 supplements
- Consume more proteins
- Implement self-treatment for fluid retention
Best Energy Drinks To Avoid Water Retention
Bai Boost
One of the plant-based energy drinks suitable for daily consumption is Bai Boost.
It includes a number of beneficial components, including caffeine, vitamins, and minerals. One gram of sugar and 110mg of caffeine is also present. Stevia, a plant-based sweetener, is also used to sweeten it.
Jocko Go
If you enjoy trying out new energy drinks, Jocko Go is a good choice and a great way to boost your energy.
Jocko Go has evolved into a moderately caffeinated energy drink, thanks to its 95mg of caffeine. Bacopa Monnieri, Alpha-GPC, Theobromine, and other ingredients are also present.
REIZE
REIZE, the energy drink I prefer, contains no extra sugar and very little caffeine. I believe that the 50mg of caffeine in each REIZE sachet is more than adequate.
Try REIZE! It has B vitamins and taurine: essential ingredients in energy drinks. REIZE is preferable because it has 11 calories and no sugar. REIZE is therefore suitable for different lifestyles and dietary needs.
Conclusion
- Energy drinks might cause water retention, which can result in bloating and discomfort, but if you keep your intake in moderation, you might not be at risk of it.
- However, you can quickly and easily get rid of water retention and stomach bloating.
- Excessive caffeine consumption can dehydrate your body, which causes your colon to absorb more water than usual. This can actually result in water retention.
- Energy drinks don’t help you lose weight, but they also don’t add any extra calories, so you’re more likely to gain weight as a result.
- Excessive consumption of energy drinks might also have some additional side effects, such as kidney issues.