What Energy Drinks Do to the Body

Summary

El video ofrece una visión detallada de los efectos que tienen las bebidas energéticas en el cuerpo humano, utilizando cadáveres para ilustrar el proceso. Se discute la definición de una bebida energética y cómo difieren de otras bebidas como el café o las gaseosas. El contenido principal es cafeína y azúcar, cuyas cantidades en exceso pueden ser peligrosas. Se explora cómo la cafeína bloquea las señales de somnolencia y desencadena una serie de respuestas en el sistema nervioso autónomo, incluyendo 'lucha o huida', y cómo la azúcar afecta la sensación de recompensa y el metabolismo. Además, se destaca la importancia de la moderación y se cuestiona si ciertos grupos demográficos, como niños, personas con síndrome metabólico o estilos de vida sedentarios, deberían consumirlas. Finalmente, el video presenta AG1 como una alternativa de nutrición completa y diaria en lugar de las bebidas energéticas.

Takeaways

• 🤖 Hay muchas marcas y variedades de bebidas energéticas en el mercado, como Red Bull, Rockstar y Monster, cada una con diferentes ingredientes y cantidades de cafeína.
• 🚫 Una bebida energética no es lo mismo que un café o una gaseosa, aunque contengan cafeína o glucosa, respectivamente.
• 🔍 Según el Merriam Webster's Dictionary, una bebida energética es una bebida carbonatada que contiene cafeína y otros ingredientes como taurina y ginseng, diseñada para aumentar la energía del bebedor.
• ⚠️ El video no busca demonizar ninguna bebida en particular, sino resaltar los riesgos asociados con la cantidad, frecuencia y momento de consumo, así como las poblaciones más afectadas.
• 🏋️ Para algunos, las bebidas energéticas pueden ser consumidas ocasionalmente sin problemas, pero en exceso pueden ser perjudiciales.
• ☕ La cafeína en las bebidas energéticas bloquea los receptores de adenosina en el cerebro, evitando así la sensación de somnolencia pero sin proporcionar energía real.
• 🍬 Muchas bebidas energéticas contienen azúcares o edulcorantes artificiales, que pueden afectar el sistema nervioso autónomo y otros sistemas del cuerpo.
• 💉 El azúcar en las bebidas energéticas puede influir en la sensibilidad a la insulina y el metabolismo de la glucosa, y está asociado con trastornos metabólicos y neurodegenerativos.
• 🧠 La cafeína estimula la producción de epinefrina y norepinefrina, que afectan el sistema nervioso autónomo y desencadenan respuestas del 'luchar o huir'.
• 👀 El efecto de las bebidas energéticas abarca múltiples sistemas corporales, incluyendo los ojos, la boca, los pulmones, los sistemas urinario y digestivo, el corazón y el sistema reproductivo.
• ⚠️ Las bebidas energéticas pueden no ser adecuadas para personas con estilos de vida sedentarios, síndrome metabólico, enfermedades inflamatorias intestinales o que están en la pubertad, y pueden tener consecuencias de adicción.

Q & A

¿Cuántas variedades diferentes de bebidas energéticas menciona el guionista en total para tres marcas específicas?

El guionista menciona 11 variedades de Red Bull, 30 de Rockstar y 62 de Monster, lo que suma un total de 103 variedades para esas tres marcas.

¿Qué bebida no se considera una bebida energética según el guionista?

El café no se considera una bebida energética, a pesar de contener cafeína, porque previene la señal de somnolencia en el cerebro en lugar de proporcionar energía química.

Según el Diccionario de Merriam Webster, ¿qué es una bebida energética?

Según Merriam Webster, una bebida energética es 'típicamente una bebida carbonatada que contiene cafeína y otros ingredientes, como la taurina y el ginseng, y está destinada a aumentar la energía del bebedor'.

¿Cuáles son algunos de los problemas potenciales relacionados con el consumo de bebidas energéticas según el guionista?

Los problemas potenciales relacionados con el consumo de bebidas energéticas incluyen la cantidad de cafeína, azúcar y otros ingredientes, así como los riesgos serios que pueden surgir cuando se combinan estos componentes y dependiendo de varios factores individuales.

¿Qué es el efecto cascada que menciona el guionista que tiene el consumo de bebidas energéticas en el cuerpo humano?

El efecto cascada al que se refiere el guionista es el impacto que tiene el consumo de bebidas energéticas en el sistema nervioso autónomo y cómo esto a su vez afecta casi todos los sistemas del cuerpo humano.

¿Cómo afecta el azúcar en las bebidas energéticas el sistema digestivo y por qué es importante considerarlo?

El azúcar en las bebidas energéticas puede ser metabolizado por bacterias en el sistema digestivo, lo que ha demostrado una asociación con el síndrome metabólico y trastornos neurodegenerativos como la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Esto sugiere que las bacterias del intestino pueden influir en el cerebro a través del sistema nervioso periférico.

¿Qué es la bebida AG1 y cómo se relaciona con el contenido del video?

AG1 es una bebida de nutrición completa que contiene 75 ingredientes de alimentos de alta calidad, incluyendo vitaminas, minerales, superalimentos, probióticos y adaptógenos. El guionista la menciona como una alternativa a la bebida energética y una forma de obtener una nutrición diaria completa.

¿Qué son los neurotransmisores y los hormones responsables de los efectos del sistema nervioso simpático y cómo se relacionan con el consumo de cafeína?

Los neurotransmisores y hormones responsables de los efectos del sistema nervioso simpático son la epinefrina y la norepinefrina. Se producen en las glándulas adrenales en respuesta al consumo de cafeína y desencadenan una serie de efectos en el cuerpo, como la dilatación de los pupilas, la inhibición de la salivación y la dilatación de los bronquios.

¿Cómo afecta el consumo de bebidas energéticas la frecuencia cardíaca y por qué es esto significativo?

El consumo de bebidas energéticas puede aumentar la frecuencia cardíaca, lo cual es significativo porque está principalmente impulsado por la epinefrina. Esto es importante ya que un aumento sostenido en la frecuencia cardíaca puede llevar a situaciones peligrosas, incluyendo el ataque cardíaco.

¿Por qué es importante considerar la tolerancia personal al cafeína y la frecuencia de consumo de bebidas energéticas?

La tolerancia personal al cafeína y la frecuencia de consumo de bebidas energéticas son importantes porque determinan cómo el cuerpo reacciona a los efectos de estos productos. Un bajo nivel de tolerancia o un alto consumo pueden aumentar el riesgo de experimentar efectos adversos en la salud.

¿Qué sugiere el guionista que deba hacer si alguien siente que no puede consumir bebidas energéticas de manera moderada o si sufre de condiciones de salud específicas?

El guionista sugiere que si alguien no puede consumir bebidas energéticas de manera moderada o si sufre de condiciones de salud específicas, debería hablar con su médico para determinar si estas bebidas tienen un lugar en su dieta.

Outlines

00:00

🥤 Diversidad de bebidas energéticas y su impacto en el cuerpo

El video comienza explorando la gran variedad de bebidas energéticas en el mercado, mencionando las distintas variedades de marcas como Red Bull, Rockstar y Monster. Se enfatiza que, a pesar de que el café contiene cafeína, no se clasifica como una bebida energética ya que no proporciona energía química, a diferencia de las bebidas con glucosa como las gaseosas y el leche. Se define una bebida energética como una bebida carbonatada que contiene cafeína y otros ingredientes como taurina y ginseng, con el propósito de aumentar la energía del consumidor. Además, se destaca que el video no busca demonizar ninguna bebida en particular, sino simplemente discutir los riesgos asociados a la cantidad de cafeína, azúcar y otros ingredientes, y cómo estos pueden tener efectos negativos cuando se consumen en exceso.

05:03

🍬 Comprender los efectos de la cafeína y el azúcar en el sistema nervioso

Este párrafo se enfoca en los efectos que tienen la cafeína y el azúcar en el cuerpo. La cafeína bloquea los receptores de adenosina en el cerebro, evitando así la sensación de somnolencia, aunque no proporciona energía real. Se menciona que la cafeína también tiene efectos en otros sistemas del cuerpo, como el sistema digestivo y urinario. Además, se discute cómo la cafeína estimula la producción de epinefrina y norepinefrina, que son hormonas del sistema nervioso simpático, involucradas en la respuesta de lucha o huida. Por otro lado, el azúcar, ya sea en su forma natural o como edulcorantes artificiales, puede afectar la percepción de dulzor, la sensibilidad a la insulina y el metabolismo glucídico, con posibles implicaciones en el síndrome metabólico y trastornos neurodegenerativos como la enfermedad de Alzheimer.

10:06

🔬 Cómo el sistema nervioso autónomo responde a las bebidas energéticas

Se profundiza en el sistema nervioso autónomo, compuesto por el sistema simpático (lucha o huida) y el sistema parasimpático (descansar y digerir). Se describe cómo la ingesta de cafeína y azúcar, comunes en las bebidas energéticas, puede afectar este sistema, provocando respuestas como la dilatación de los pupilas, la inhibición de la salivación, la dilatación de los bronquios, la relajación de la vejiga, la inhibición del sistema digestivo y un aumento en la frecuencia cardíaca. Se destaca que estos efectos no son lineales y que el cuerpo puede moverse entre los estados simpático y parasimpático de manera fluida, dependiendo de la situación.

15:08

🚫 Consideraciones sobre el consumo de bebidas energéticas

El video concluye discutiendo las consecuencias del consumo de bebidas energéticas, especialmente en personas con estilos de vida sedentarios, afecciones como el síndrome de Crohn o la colitis ulcerativa, o en adolescentes en proceso de pubertad. Se enfatiza que los problemas no son exclusivos de las bebidas energéticas, sino que se asocian con un consumo excesivo de cafeína y azúcar en general. Se menciona la facilidad con la que se pueden adquirir estas bebidas, y cómo su alta concentración de cafeína, azúcar y edulcorantes artificiales puede representar un riesgo significativo para la salud. También se toca el tema de la dependencia, compartiendo la experiencia personal del hablante con la bebida energética Monster y cómo decidió abstenerse al darse cuenta de los síntomas de dependencia que presentaba.

Keywords

💡Refrigerantes energéticos

Los refrigerantes energéticos son bebidas que a menudo contienen cafeína y otros ingredientes como taurina y ginseng, y están diseñados para aumentar la energía del consumidor. En el video, se discute cómo estos bebibles afectan al cuerpo, especialmente en relación con el sistema nervioso autónomo y cómo la ingesta de estos puede tener un efecto cascada en varios sistemas del cuerpo.

💡Cafeína

La cafeína es un ingrediente fundamental en los refrigerantes energéticos que bloquea los receptores de adenosina en el cerebro, evitando así la sensación de somnolencia. Sin embargo, no proporciona energía química real. El video destaca cómo la cafeína puede llevar a un aumento temporal de energía, pero también a un 'crash' energético cuando su efecto desaparece.

💡Adenosina

La adenosina es una molécula que, al unirse a sus receptores en el cerebro, contribuye a la percepción de somnolencia. La cafeína impide que la adenosina actúe sobre estos receptores, lo que resulta en una sensación de alerta sin proveer energía adicional.

💡Sistema nervioso autónomo

El sistema nervioso autónomo controla muchas funciones corporales involuntarias, como la frecuencia cardíaca y la digestión. Se subdivide en el sistema simpático ('luchar o huir') y el parasimpático ('descansar y digerir'). El video ilustra cómo la cafeína y otros estimulantes en los energizantes pueden afectar este sistema, alterando la homeostasis del cuerpo.

💡Epinefrina y norepinefrina

La epinefrina y la norepinefrina, también conocidas como adrenalina y noradrenalina, son hormonas producidas por las glándulas adrenales en respuesta a la ingesta de cafeína. Estas hormonas desempeñan un papel crucial en el sistema nervioso simpático, preparando al cuerpo para situaciones de estrés o esfuerzo físico.

💡Azúcar

El azúcar en los refrigerantes energéticos puede ser un problema de salud, ya que su ingesta en exceso puede llevar a la obesidad y a problemas metabólicos. Aunque algunos energizantes utilizan edulcorantes en lugar de azúcar, estos también pueden tener efectos en la percepción del sabor dulce y en la sensibilidad a la insulina.

💡Toxicidad

La toxicidad se refiere a los efectos dañinos que pueden causar ciertos sustancias a una dosis elevada. En el contexto del video, se destaca que no son los sustancias en sí mismas los problemas, sino la cantidad de estas que se ingieren. La cafeína y el azúcar en exceso en los energizantes pueden ser tóxicos dependiendo de la persona y su estado de salud.

💡Dosis

La importancia de la dosis se menciona en el video para enfatizar que los efectos nocivos en la salud generalmente dependen de cuánto se consume de un sustancia, más que de la sustancia en sí. Esto se aplica tanto a la cafeína como al azúcar en los refrigerantes energéticos.

💡AG1

AG1 es un producto de nutrición completa que se menciona en el video como una alternativa a los refrigerantes energéticos. Contiene una variedad de nutrientes y se promueve como una forma de asegurar una nutrición diaria sin recurrir a estimulantes como la cafeína.

💡Dopamina

La dopamina es un neurotransmisor y neuromodulador involucrado en funciones como el placer, la alegría y la euforía. En el script, se menciona cómo el azúcar, al ser detectado por las células gustativas, puede activar la liberación de dopamina, lo que se asocia con la sensación de recompensa y placer.

💡Metabólico

El término metabólico se refiere a los procesos bioquímicos que ocurren dentro del cuerpo y cómo estos pueden verse afectados por la dieta y otros factores. En el video, se cuestiona si las personas con síndrome metabólico o aquellos con estilos de vida sedentarios deberían consumir energizantes, debido a su contenido en cafeína y azúcar que puede impactar negativamente el metabolismo.

Highlights

市场上存在多种不同的能量饮料，例如红牛有11种不同品种，Rockstar有30种，Monster有62种，这仅是三个品牌。

至少有70个容易在网上找到的品牌，实际上数量可能更多。

视频将讨论能量饮料对身体的影响，特别是对自主神经系统以及对整个人体系统的影响。

咖啡虽然含有咖啡因，但不被归类为能量饮料，因为咖啡因实际上并不提供化学能量。

根据韦氏词典，能量饮料是含有咖啡因和其他成分（如牛磺酸和人参）的碳酸饮料，旨在增加饮用者的能量。

视频的目的不是妖魔化任何特定的饮料或品牌，而是讨论能量饮料的潜在风险。

能量饮料的问题在于咖啡因、糖和其他成分的数量，以及它们相互作用可能带来的严重风险。

适量饮用能量饮料，例如在照顾新生儿或去健身房的日子，通常不会有太大问题。

咖啡因本身并不坏，过量摄入咖啡因可能对身体非常有害。

糖本身并不坏，但过量摄入糖可能非常有害。

能量饮料中的咖啡因会阻止大脑中促进睡意的信号，但不提供实际的能量。

咖啡因的消耗会导致所谓的“崩溃”或能量崩溃，因为咖啡因效果消退后，积累的腺苷会激活大脑中的受体。

咖啡因和糖的复合效应会影响神经系统，以及消化系统、泌尿系统和呼吸系统。

能量饮料中的糖分可以被分解成葡萄糖和果糖，果糖可以转化为脂肪并储存在肝脏中，或者葡萄糖可以储存为糖原。

自主神经系统可以被看作是神经系统硬件的软件，包括交感神经系统和副交感神经系统。

咖啡因和糖的摄入会导致身体产生肾上腺素和去甲肾上腺素，这些激素会影响身体的多个系统。

能量饮料的摄入可能会引起依赖性，作者本人在20多岁时曾依赖Monster能量饮料。

对于有特定健康状况或生活方式的人，如患有克罗恩病、溃疡性结肠炎或处于青春期的人，饮用能量饮料可能不是一个好主意。

Transcripts

There are a lot of different energy drinks on the market.

There are 11 different varieties of Red Bull...

30 different varieties of Rockstar...

There are 62 different varieties of Monster, and that's only three brands.

There are at least 70 easily findable brands on the Internet.

I just had to stop counting!

In today's video

with the help of the cadavers here in the lab,

we're going to discuss what happens to the body

when you consume an energy drink and we'll see the effect

it has on the autonomic nervous system and how that will then have an effect —

a cascading effect — on nearly every system in the human body.

It's going to be an energetic one.

Let's do this.

Let's

first clarify what is and isn't an energy drink.

Coffee is not an energy drink.

Despite obviously having caffeine.

And we're going to go into greater detail later

in the video with this, but caffeine actually prevents the drowsiness

signal, I guess you could say, from firing in the brain.

It doesn't actually provide you with chemical energy.

Soda, I guess, could kind of classify as an energy drink simply

because it has glucose, which is a simple carbohydrate,

and glucose is used to actually make chemical energy.

But if we are classifying an energy drink as a “liquid beverage

that has sugar in it”, milk would qualify as an energy drink.

And I don’t know about you,

but I don't feel like running a 5k after pounding a glass of whole milk.

So I hate to be this guy, but according to Merriam Webster's

Dictionary, an energy drink is “typically a carbonated

beverage that contains caffeine and other ingredients, such as taurine and ginseng,

and is intended to increase the drinkers energy”.

So for our purposes today, I'm going to consider

an energy drink Monster, Rockstar, Redbull, Full Throttle.

Everything you see here in front of you.

Now, it's also important to mention

that this video isn't meant to demonize any particular drink or brand.

Honestly, there's nothing really inherently wrong

with most energy drinks, but too much of a good thing

will become a bad thing, no matter how good

or essential that thing may have been in the first place.

The problem with many energy drinks

is the quantity of caffeine, sugar and other ingredients.

And then when you stack the effects of those substances on to one another,

there can be some serious risks associated with them

depending on a variety of factors.

So if we instead look at energy drinks

as something to be consumed periodically from time to time, let's say,

to get you through a day's work after a long night with a newborn baby,

or maybe helping to find the motivation to go to the gym on a day

that you just don't want to work just right, just fill in the blank.

I don't know that that should bother us all that much.

Caffeine in itself is not bad.

Too much caffeine can be very bad for you.

Sugar, despite what the Internet will tell you in and of itself is not bad.

But too much sugar can be very, very bad for you.

“How much is too much?”

depends on the substance as well as the individual partaking in it.

This is important to understand that toxicity and health consequences

on the whole are about the dose, not about the substance itself.

The problem as I see it with energy drinks really comes down to the quantity,

frequency and timing with which they're consumed,

as well as the demographics that are most likely to consume them.

But if you're the type of person

that can have an energy drink every once in a while, again,

I don't really see a big problem with that, generally speaking.

But if you're eating a ton of highly processed foods, not exercising

or have other serious health concerns, adding even one energy drink

honestly may just compound the problems you already have.

In my mind, the questions we really need to be asking ourselves are things

like, “should children and teenagers be having energy drinks at all?

Should pre-diabetics, hypoglycemics, or anyone who suffers from metabolic

syndrome be having energy drinks at all?

Should those who lead a sedentary lifestyle?”

You see where I'm going with this...

I think we can have more focused and nuanced questions that we're asking

instead of just broadly saying, “are energy drinks bad for us?”

Now, before we see

what happens to the body when you consume an energy drink,

I think this is a good time to discuss the sponsor. Today's video.

AG1. AG1 has been sponsoring our channel for a little over a year and a half now,

and their nutritional drink is something that both Jonathan and I truly believe in.

I drink it each and every morning

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I believe in it that much.

AG1 is comprehensive daily nutrition.

It's made up of 75 high quality whole-foods sourced ingredients,

which includes vitamins, minerals, superfoods, probiotics and adaptogens.

And I want to be clear here,

if you're the type of person that enjoys the occasional energy drink,

you're more than welcome to consume this as well.

It's not as though they're mutually exclusive.

I personally use AG1 as a replacement for my daily multivitamin, and given

how easy it is to consume, the added benefits are just icing on the cake.

All you do is take one scoop, add it to eight ounces of water and shake it up.

This is easily my favorite part.

Take a drink and then you're going to carry on with your day.

Look, I'm the type of guy that is all about effortless daily habits.

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If you're interested, visit athleticgreens.com/humananatomy,

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Again, it's impossible to discuss every ingredient that comes with the many

different types of energy drinks, which is why we're going to be primarily focusing

on the compounding effects that caffeine and sugar have on the nervous system.

But that also means

that there's a bunch of other substances that are going to be layered

on top of the caffeine and sugar

that are also going to be affecting various parts of the body,

such as the digestive system, urinary system and respiratory system.

The primary, and some may argue

the fundamental ingredient in an energy drink is going to be caffeine.

Now, the exact amount of caffeine varies actually quite widely

depending on the drink itself, but many of them will add

an additional source of caffeine in the form of guarana extract,

which has twice the concentration of a coffee bean.

When caffeine is consumed, it blocks adenosine receptors in the brain.

So what you're looking at here is a right hemisphere of the human brain.

So this highly folded portion is going to be the cerebrum,

and then this down here is what's known as the cerebellum.

Then if I flip it over,

you can see the brainstem as it transitions into a central core

of the brain, which we actually call the diencephalon.

But adenosine receptors are proteins that are going to be found

all throughout the brain — all throughout the cells inside of the brain.

And the molecule adenosine is what is going to bind to them, to absolutely

no surprise.

Now, when adenosine binds to an adenosine receptor,

it actually sends a signal that the brain, or rather it contributes to the brain's

sensation and perception of feeling drowsy.

So what will happen is

caffeine will come in there and actually plug up the receptor.

Right?

It fits into the receptor, but it doesn't activate it.

And by not activating it, the brain doesn't receive that drowsy signal.

And so you then are feeling left or left feeling,

I should say, energized despite not actually being given any energy.

You just don't feel drowsy. But here's the problem.

The caffeine wears off.

And when it does, the adenosine that has been getting produced

all throughout the brain's tissue is going to pile onto those receptors.

And when it does, just picture this, just picture signals like, “zhoo zhoo.

zhoo..

” All these zooming signals going throughout the brain saying,

I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired, I'm tired.

And that, ladies and gentlemen,

is what we call “the crash” or that energetic crash.

It's interesting to note

that it adenosine receptors aren't only found inside of the human brain,

but instead they're actually found all throughout the body,

including the digestive and urinary tracts, which helps explain

why caffeine has such far reaching effects on the body.

But the presence of caffeine will actually be detected

by an area here in the brain called the hypothalamus.

So you're actually looking at a mid sagittal section of a human head,

but the hypothalamus is almost like

the bridge between the nervous system and the endocrine system.

And what it does it well, it actually does a lot of different things.

But for our purposes, it's going to be involved in homeostasis,

which is essentially a baseline

for the human body that you are either deviating from or coming toward.

So you think like body temperature, right?

No one's early ever sitting and coasting it perfect, normal body temp,

you're either going above and below or if you do hit it, it's very temporary.

But the point is there is a baseline and the hypothalamus is more or less

trying to figure out how do we get to that or when should we go away from it.

But it will actually detect caffeine.

And when it detects the caffeine, that's when it will communicate

to this structure right here known as the pituitary gland.

And it will tell the pituitary gland to start well or it's really

to communicate with the adrenal glands and to start producing epinephrine

and norepinephrine, which most people know as adrenaline or noradrenaline.

Let's now discuss sugar.

But to be fair, many energy drinks don't come with sugar and instead come

with artificial sweeteners.

However, many of those artificial sweeteners will still have

some kind of effect on the same structures and pathways we're about to discuss.

Although that effect does definitely seem to be more limited.

However, the artificial sweetener

Sucralose doesn't seem to have really any direct effect on the brain,

but instead will affect the pancreas and overall insulin sensitivity.

Researchers have found that consuming glucose up to ten days after sucralose

can actually decrease insulin sensitivity

and have an effect on overall glucose metabolism and it has been shown

to have an effect on the brain's ability to perceive sweetness.

But let's say it does have sugar.

The sugar will be detected by taste cells here on the surface of the tongue as well

as on the surface of the epiglottis,

this cartilaginous flap that helps protect the airway during swallowing,

but that will then relay the information to the brain.

We can actually see a portion of the brain

hiding behind this thick connective tissue called the falx cerebri.

Now, deep in the brain is going to be a structure known as the striatum.

And unfortunately, we can't see that here in any of the dissections

we have in the lab.

But the striatum belongs to a larger set of structures known as the basal ganglia.

And the striatum, if this wasn't enough, can be further broken down into

what's known as the nucleus accumbens, as well as the olfactory tubercle.

Now the striatum is involved in the reward system of the body

and dopamine plays an enormous role in that processing.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and a neuromodulator that's involved

in a wide variety of functions.

In fact, we can and should make an entire video on dopamine alone.

But for our purposes today, you can think of dopamine

being involved in pleasure, joy and just overall sense of euphoria,

which is exactly what you get when you take a bite of something very sugary.

Sugar is also broken down in the liver into glucose and fructose

and that fructose can be then converted into fat and stored directly in the liver,

or the glucose can be stored in the form of glycogen, again,

directly in the liver or the glucose and fat can be put into the bloodstream

and then be used as fuel sources for other cells.

Or they can also be stored in adipose tissue throughout the body.

But before the sugar even gets to the liver,

it's actually or can be broken down by bacteria in the digestive system.

And this is really, really interesting because recent data has shown

an association between sugar metabolism from those bacteria

and metabolic syndrome.

And get this, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's.

It’s possible that the gut bacteria can actually influence

the brain through the peripheral nervous system,

through the byproducts of sugar metabolism.

Now, to be clear, there is a ton of work that still needs to be done on this

to figure out the exact relationship and mechanism of action,

the exact circumstances in which this happens.

So I don't want you to go

grab your pitchfork as of yet and come for sugar, although I'm sure

the comment section is filled with people who've had their pitchforks

ready for a while and some of them who have already used it a few times...

Just understand that when we do figure out exactly how this works,

it's likely going to be very conditional and circumstantial.

And it's not as though sugar is ready to be demonized

and said like it's always bad all the time, no matter what.

But I will admit sugar becomes far more suspect as the days go by.

Let's now have a discussion around what's known as the autonomic

nervous system, which you can think of as the automatic nervous system.

Now, this isn't the best analogy.

I'm not a software or computer engineer, but I like to think of it

as the software to the nervous systems hardware.

And what I mean by that is, say,

like the brain, the spinal cord, the nerves, those are the hardware, right?

This a physical nervous system.

This would be kind of like a program running in the background.

It's probably not the best analogy, but at least it works for me.

Now, it can be further subdivided into what's known as the sympathetic

nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

And you probably know these by other names.

The parasympathetic is most commonly known as the “rest and digest”,

while the sympathetic nervous system is commonly known as the “fight or flight.”

Now, the reason why we're talking about these at all

is going to be because of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

And if you recall, we've just learned that they are produced by the adrenal glands

in response to caffeine consumption.

Now, I also want you to understand that while epinephrine

and norepinephrine are responsible, these are the neurotransmitters

and hormones

that are going to be responsible for all of the effects here

in the sympathetic nervous system, it's not as though they don't cause and effect

in the parasympathetic nervous system, despite acetylcholine

being the neurotransmitter that's actually going to be responsible for them.

And the reason why that's the case is because

you're not always in one or the other, right?

It's not as though you're just in a sympathetic or just in a parasympathetic.

You're actually in like this fluid state moving between the two.

Unless, of course, you're in some horrifying scenario,

which is actually the easiest way to teach this.

So when I'm in the classroom teaching this to my students,

I have to say like pretend I'm just slathered in bacon grease

and a hungry grizzly bear comes through the door.

What is my body going to do in response to this horrifying event?

Now, I also want to make note that this is not like a, you know, an ordered

list in a sense, like this happens and this happens and this happens.

It's just showing you all the various effects.

So my pupils are obviously going to dilate, right?

There's going to be that moment where it's like,

“oh crap...” you know, as the grizzly bear is coming after me.

But I'm also going to have my saliva production be inhibited.

There's not much use to being too drooling at the mouth

when a grizzly is attacking me.

And again, we don't even have to have this maximal hardcore

version of the sympathetic response.

If you're in a fight, it makes sense to conserve

the water in your body, possibly for sweat production.

It's actually here at the bottom

because I should have put it up here, but I forgot.

So you're actually going to be producing sweat in a sympathetic response.

That makes sense that you want to conserve that water

and salivating doesn't make a ton of sense.

You're also going to have what's called bronchial dilation.

So the “bronchial”,

that is in reference to the airway — the respiratory tubes inside of the lungs.

And what can happen, and this is also gonna make

a ton of sense, is they're going to dilate, right?

You want to get as much oxygen into the body as possible

to supply all your musculoskeletal structures

that are going to be working pretty hard here.

Now, this next one is going to sound different than it actually is.

The bladder relaxation does not mean you are urinating in your pants.

I mean, that may happen, right?

I'm not going to pretend like

that's not going to happen to me

if a grizzly is coming at me as I'm slathered in bacon grease.

But what's the opposite of relaxation?

It's actually contraction.

And if the bladder if you think of it like a balloon, if it's contracting,

that would actually cause urinating or urinating.

Urinating... But that's like the micturition reflex.

So the bladder relaxation here is

you're actually not going to urinate, which again, makes a ton of sense.

All right.

Next we have intestine inhibition.

Now, this is actually going to be saying blood flow essentially

is going to be diverted away from your digestive system

because it doesn't make sense to finish digesting your lunch, right?

If I had a massive burrito and then the grizzly’s coming after

me, I don't need to work on that burrito in the moment.

So blood is going to start going away from my digestive system.

And that's a really good thing because it's then going to be going

to the musculoskeletal system, right?

If we're going away from the core, we're going be then going to the periphery

and that's going to be going to the musculoskeletal system.

And then we're also going to have an increase in heart rate.

Now, this is obvious

because it needs to be able to supply the musculoskeletal system.

But what's interesting is this is primarily driven by epinephrine,

while the rest of these are going to be primarily driven by norepinephrine.

So it's kind of interesting how the body breaks that down.

And then this last one is probably going to be a little surprising to you.

It's not really relevant to this discussion,

but it's interesting to talk about.

The erectile tissues are going to have a decrease in blood flow.

So think like the clitoris, think the penis.

So maybe we could put it this way...

in a parasympathetic response, the erectile tissue

are going to have an increase in blood flow.

And this may seem counterintuitive because like,

if you think about it

from like a sexual arousal standpoint, you may think like, “ooo, I'm aroused”,

I'm going to be in a fight or flight response.

My heart rate's going to be going up.

But again, you're not in one or the other.

And so it's possible to have an increase in heart rate while still having

a decrease in blood flow to the erectile tissues.

And there's a whole lot of nuance to this.

And Jonathan did an entire video around erections.

It's really interesting and fascinating.

So I encourage everyone to check that out.

But the reason why we're bringing all this up is to show

the wide ranging effects that

epinephrine and norepinephrine can have on the body, right?

So drinking caffeine and you can think the more caffeine

you consume or the lower

your tolerance, how all of this plays out, you can see how these can have

different effects.

But at the same time, there's only so much you can do with them, right?

Your pupils can only dilate so much.

There's only so much saliva inhibition you can have, right?

The bronchioles can only dilate so much.

The one that's really interesting is going to be the increase in heart rate

because that can just keep on going to the point where you can actually

find yourself in a very scary situation and maybe going into cardiac arrest.

Again, that's extremely high levels of caffeine.

But at the same time, it's not as though

we don't want to view these in isolation.

Again, we want to look at the whole person.

What is their body like?

Were they already in poor cardiovascular health?

And when you start stacking these effects on to one another, you can see that

it's a lot easier to get into a problematic state, right?

If you're in a state of

malhealth to begin with and then you're taking the energy drink.

So again, just kind of understand that

this is going to affect pretty much everything. Right?

We're talking the eyes, the mouth, the lungs, the urinary system

and your bladder, your digestive system and the intestines, the heart.

It even affects your reproductive system.

So when you're having an energy drink, it's not as though

it's just going to your brain and making you feel more alert.

It's having far reaching consequences all throughout the body.

Let's now see if we can put this all together into one nice, neat package

for you.

Given everything that we've discussed, I'm hopeful

you now understand that consuming an energy drink

when you have a sedentary lifestyle or you suffer from metabolic syndrome such

as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, or if you're going through puberty,

is probably not the best idea.

Although, a lot of the problems we've discussed aren't unique to energy drinks

and instead they come with excessive caffeine and sugar intake in general.

However, energy drinks are easy to find, purchase, consume,

and they come with high amounts of caffeine, sugar, artificial sweeteners

and other substances.

And then all those substance, they get stacked on top of each other,

or at least their effects do.

In my mind, that sets you up for some substantial risk.

I haven't even touched on the potential dependency related aspects

of consuming energy drinks.

I myself was dependent upon them in my early twenties.

My go to was Monster.

I used to drink two or three of these per day and I was — I loved them.

Like even now just holding the can...

I can start to feel like, a desire just starting to come through

to open this thing and to drink it right now.

But I haven't had it since I decided to quit.

And I decided to quit because I remember

I found myself in a situation where I couldn't have my Monster.

And I started to have all the telltale signs of dependency.

I started sweating, started feeling anxious and panicked.

And despite at this point in my life not having any medical

or anatomical knowledge, I knew that was bad.

I knew that wasn't a good position to be in.

And so I decided to stop right then and there.

And I haven't had an energy drink since that point in time.

I have just learned that I'm not the type of person

that can consume these in moderation.

And that's just the fact of the matter.

If you are, all the power to you!

But if you're like me

or if you suffer from any of the circumstances

and conditions that we discussed earlier,

I'm going to be honest with you.

I think it's probably best

that you speak with your doctor and figure out for yourself

if these things have a place in your diet.

Thanks for watching, everyone.

Be sure to click the

link in the description below and start your AG1 journey today.

As always, be sure to like, comment, subscribe if you feel so inclined,

and I'll see you in the next video.