By Nicolas Martineau B.Sc. Nutrition
Energy drinks have become very popular, especially among young people and athletes. Often marketed as quick solutions to increase energy, improve concentration and combat fatigue; they typically contain caffeine, B vitamins, amino acids and various plant extracts.
In Canada, in 2020, energy drink sales were valued at $1.4 billion, with growth of 6% per year until 2025.
Young adults (18-34 years old) represent the largest group of consumers, with almost 50% of them indicating having consumed it in the last few months.
One study even found that nearly 25% of college students use energy drinks to boost their academic performance.
Expected benefits
Energy drink consumers often have several expectations :
- Increased Energy: Feel an immediate boost of energy.
- Improved Focus: Improve attention and ability to concentrate.
- Increased Physical Performance: Increase endurance and athletic performance.
- Fight Fatigue: Combat fatigue after a sleepless night or a long day at work.
- Rapid Recovery: Help with recovery after physical exertion.
The disadvantages
Even though the expected effects are positive, the vast majority of energy drinks are harmful to health.
Too sweet: Energy drinks often contain too much sugar. Otherwise, they contain sucralose or other sweeteners that have a harmful effect on our intestinal flora in addition to leading to the consumption of sugary products to compensate for our drop in blood sugar. Consuming too much sugar can lead to obesity and tooth decay.
Only short-term effect: Caffeine is often the only stimulant contained in energy drinks. Its effect is felt in 15 minutes and its maximum effect is after 1 hour.
Encourages excessive caffeine consumption: About 1 hour after consuming the energy drink, we feel that the effect of caffeine decreases, which leads us to think that we must take other energy drinks to continue the day. It is not uncommon for people to take 2, 3 or even 4 energy drinks per day, which is too much and harmful to health.
Risk of heart problems: Excessive consumption of energy drinks leads to higher blood pressure, a faster heart rate and a greater risk of suffering from cardiac arrhythmia or even cardiac arrest.
Drinks that are too acidic: To mask the bad taste of caffeine and other ingredients, manufacturers add sugar and acids in addition to flavorings. In the long term, these acids are harmful to the enamel of our teeth.
Given these disadvantages, it is recommended to limit the use of these energy drinks and even consider other alternatives if possible.
The new Land Art's Ultimate Mind : a better solution to improve mental performance!
As there is a real need to increase energy levels and mental performance, Land Art has just designed a formula that is intended to be more complete, more effective and whose effects last longer than energy drinks.
Unlike energy drinks, Ultimate Mind not only acts on energy, but also on several aspects of cognitive functions. Composed of 6 recognized medicinal ingredients, this new product aims to improve memory, facilitate learning, increase mental concentration, improve mental alertness (mental energy) and therefore improve intellectual performance.
Sugar-free, its caffeine content is limited to 100mg per day, which is the equivalent of one coffee per day.
Because this formula is composed of several other active ingredients that act over a longer period of time than caffeine, Ultimate Mind does not encourage excessive caffeine consumption and its effects are much more varied.
Containing medicinal ingredients standardized in their active ingredients, Ultimate Mind is not only a healthier option but it is also much more effective in improving your mental performance!