Read This Before You Pop the Top on that Energy Drink

When you’re one of our Dallas hot shot freight operators, work hours can be all over the place. Sometimes customers need our couriers in the middle of the night, or first thing in the morning, or right as everyone else is hitting the highway to get home for a long weekend.

For Eagle Express, there is no such thing as a traditional work day. Which is exactly why we’re equipped to best serve you, our customers.

When you’re on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week like our hot shot delivery service DFW team, you have to find ways to keep up your energy level. The way you choose to get that spark is up to you, but there’s one thing that our Dallas hot shot freight drivers won’t be doing anytime soon, and that’s downing so-called “energy drinks”.

Guzzling these guys became popular a decade or so ago and they have expanded ever since, marketing themselves as “natural” “healthy” and “vitalizing”.

But what exactly is in your energy drink? And what are the side effects that can come from them?

Our hot shot Dallas team investigates.

What’s inside energy drinks?

Generally speaking, your favorite energy drink contains more sugar and caffeine than you should have in one day- all in a 16-ounce beverage. They also contain many ingredients that are not only difficult to pronounce, but also ones that have not been researched or approved by the FDA.

One of the main ingredients in energy drinks is Taurine. This is purported to enhance mental performance and athleticism. Unfortunately, the effects of high doses of Taurine are really unknown. It’s a chemical that is labeled “possibly safe”. Not sure those odds are in your favor!

What health issues are associated?

Most people consume energy drinks for the large amounts of caffeine. We forget that it is a drug. It’s a stimulant that raises heart rate, and puts your central nervous system into overdrive. It’s not so bad in the 100-200 mg range, but when you get higher than that, you’re looking at an increased possibility for caffeine toxicity. This is characterized by heart palpitations, tremors, and even stroke.

Kids are at risk.

Many energy drinks have advertising that is geared towards children and young adults. These companies send the message that energy drinks are used by professional athletes, that they are synonymous with adrenaline and extreme sports, or that they can provide a healthy dose of wakefulness and focus to get through study sessions.

While it is rare, energy drinks have been associated with cardiac arrest and sudden death. The reason is that kids aren’t used to all the caffeine that is in these drinks. At best, kids suffer from irregular sleep patterns and headaches.

Not to mention, energy drinks are often mixed with alcohol by young adults. This is dangerous for many reasons, but it has also been associated with prolonged drinking. In one study, participants who drank alcohol mixed with energy drinks experienced greater urges to keep drinking than those who used soda as a mixer.

In short: energy drinks are just bad news.

High amounts of sugar, caffeine, and added chemicals have negative effects on the body and can cause serious harm.

When our hot shot trucking DFW team has to get some energy for the long haul of your large cargo, they reach for something a little more natural. Green juice made from dark, leafy veggies, green tea, and protein shakes are all simple, natural, and effective ways to boost energy.

If your schedule is just as hectic as our Hot Shot Dallas couriers, put down that energy drink and give Eagle Express a call.

We can take a load off your back (literally), and handle all your stressful last minute deliveries.