Lo Carb or sugar free energy drinks (plan, diet, kidney)

[rlrl]

I recently went for an initial sleep study consult (I never had the chance to follow up since my cancer issues came up a few months after) due to what i consider to be sleep apnea attacks with acid reflux. at the consult i was told that energy drinks are bad and can cause kidney and liver issues. however i did not tell the person i spoke with that i only use the lo carb or sugar free energy drinks

i followed up with my nephrologist (I have a little bit of protein in my urine but by kidney function is fine) asked him about this and he said they cannot cause any damage, just don't consume more than one drink per day

i have since lost weight, my sugar has improved, my liver enzymes have been lessened, and i have less attacks at night now (tho i still notice reflux approaching but it doesn't block my breathing now as much as it did)

any ideas?

i always thought that the bad reputation about these drinks were about the ones with all the sugar in them

[rlrl]

I am referring to the Monster Lo Carb and Red Bull Sugar free drinks

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by rlrl

I recently went for an initial sleep study consult (I never had the chance to follow up since my cancer issues came up a few months after) due to what i consider to be sleep apnea attacks with acid reflux. at the consult i was told that energy drinks are bad and can cause kidney and liver issues. however i did not tell the person i spoke with that i only use the lo carb or sugar free energy drinks

i followed up with my nephrologist (I have a little bit of protein in my urine but by kidney function is fine) asked him about this and he said they cannot cause any damage, just don't consume more than one drink per day

i have since lost weight, my sugar has improved, my liver enzymes have been lessened, and i have less attacks at night now (tho i still notice reflux approaching but it doesn't block my breathing now as much as it did)

any ideas?

i always thought that the bad reputation about these drinks were about the ones with all the sugar in them

When doctors disagree, slow down and take note. It means full studies have not been done enough to come to a final decision and we do not know what that decision will be. I had a friend whose arthritis doctor put her on a new arthritis medicine. Her internist told her she should not be taking that as it caused internal bleeding. Being confused, she asked the two doctors to confer. The internist was willing but the arthritis doctor simply said he was her arthritis doctor and he knew his field. That medicine - I cannot remember its name - has now been removed from the market because it caused internal bleeding.

All that is not meant to be scary. Just a caution. Investigate. Find out if tests are still be done and, more importantly, who is doing them. How reliable are they?

Energy drinks (which was, I think, your main question)? I've never looked at them but I thought they were just very high caffeine beverages. No? Caffeine - we love it, can't go without it. Focus magazine (from U.K.) has a very good article about caffeine this month. I'm not sure I want to read it but I suppose I will.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Caffeine will interfere with your sleep. Switch to diet grren tea (or raspberry or whatever, just no caffeine).

[shadowfax]

If you want energy go with Ginseng tea with honey. Those Red Bull and Monster drinks are just not at all healthy with or without the sugar.

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Caffeine will interfere with your sleep. Switch to diet grren tea (or raspberry or whatever, just no caffeine).

This came as a surprise to me. I'll pass it on for what it is worth. The article in Focus magazine is written by Emma Davis, a science journalist with PhD in food science, about a study being done by Peter Rogers of University of Bristol. It says that green tea has 30 - 60 mg of caffeine. Is that a lot? I truly do not know.

This, though, was my surprise: "Black, green, oolong and white tea all come from the same plant. The only difference is in how the leaves are prepared."

There are more fascinating facts here - milk chocolate vs dark chocolate - but I'd better not quote too much. Perhaps your book store will have the magazine.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Hmm..... I always thought the herbal teas had zero caffeine. I will have to read labels. Maybe I am thinking of herbal green tea?

I know that regular tea comes from the same plant, that's true, depends on how early the beans are picked (white) , etc.

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Hmm..... I always thought the herbal teas had zero caffeine. I will have to read labels. Maybe I am thinking of herbal green tea?

I know that regular tea comes from the same plant, that's true, depends on how early the beans are picked (white) , etc.

I just checked my three. Bigelow's Red Raspberry Herb Tea says "caffeine free". It does not say "decaffeinated". I'd take that to mean naturally caffeine free. Wouldn't you?

Cozy Chamomile Herb Tea says "All Natural - Caffeine Free". It has a caffeine meter on it that might be interesting:

Coffee 100 - 120 mg
Black tea 30 - 60
Green tea 25 - 60
Decaf tea 1 - 8 mg
Herb tea 0 mg

Numi Rooibos - "caffeine free"

I'd say you are right. Oh, but are you thinking of green tea as herbal? According to that statement about black, oolong, green and white teas, it would not be. Does the box say herbal? Could there be two kinds? I'll check Wiki.

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Hmm..... I always thought the herbal teas had zero caffeine. I will have to read labels. Maybe I am thinking of herbal green tea?

I know that regular tea comes from the same plant, that's true, depends on how early the beans are picked (white) , etc.

Does green tea have caffeine? Seven things you need to know

This says that green tea contains three stimulants: caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. All three affect the heart rhythm.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

THanks for info!