From our "Consumer Report" Department.

It was lunch time at work and I'm about two minutes drive from a grocery store. So more then often I'll drive over and look for something to eat or something to drink. Walking down the aisle I considered my choices. Juice, Soda, Diet or regular?, milk or maybe a water.

And then I found them, dozens of them. Energy drinks galore. Big ones, small ones, huge ones and even ones bigger then I think someone can finish in one sitting. They came in all different brands, flavors and advertising angles, some for men, some for women, many for kids. I'd heard rumblings and opinions on these for a while now so I looked into it.

Energy Drinks have been around for a long time. They use chemicals and vitamins that our bodies create in order to function at a normal level. particularly vitamin B6 and B12.

Taurine is a chemical found in the muscles of most animals and in Humans. It is created in the mitochondria of your cells. The mitochondria is used in the respiration of your cells and uses the chemicals to do its work in the muscles. The over consumptions of things such as Taurine does pretty much what alcohol and cocain do to the dopamine levels in your brain, eventually it causes these chemicals to stop in their production. Much like the UAW on strike against foreign cars, your body will stop the production of these chemicals. Which means when they are rushed out of your body with the rest of the effects of the energy drink, your body has to replenish its store. Which is one of the leading causes of that "crash" that is referred to when the consumer comes down from their "Energy High".

Why add chemicals, to what you already have. AS My picture of Bindy said last blog, its better to sleep.

Also when you look at a can of this stuff it doesnt tell you that it packs over 280 mg of caffeine per 9 ounces(roughly). Given that the FDA has put a ban on using any more then 65 mg of caffeine per 12 ounces of Soda. From my quick research I found that many nutritionists say that caffeine is benign, yet unhealthy in large doses. But I find that close to all of them warn against its use on a regular basis.

Now I'm not a scientist but from reading what I have today, and seeing the effects of it, from both my own use, and the effects of testimonies I've read on the web, I'm not touching the stuff again.

Bear in mind that I in no way intend to insult those that are frequent purchasers of these products. I'm not writing this to prove my intelligence, trust me it would not help.

The thing I find most interesting of all of my research is the label on the back of a can,

"These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This product is not intended to diagnose,treat,cure or prevent any disease."

This product has not been tested, for its effects, its content, or the dangers of marketing it for children.

Hmmmm...........