We all know that drinking water is beneficial in an exercise regimen - what about high energy drinks?

One can of high-energy drink, such as Red Bull, Wired, Fixx, No Fear, or Monster Rockstar contain an average of 14 times the caffeine of a regular can of soda or are equivalent to 7 cups of very strong coffee. These types of drinks are sold as supplementary drinks instead of soft drinks, therefore, warning labels that note the caffeine content and the health risks associated with drinking them are not displayed.

Health risks to ingesting these types of drinks include nervousness, anxiety, dizziness, numbness, insomnia, rapid heartbeat and tremors. High energy drinks may help you to exercise, but they also raise heart rates and blood pressure which can make them dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease or for those taking drugs to lower heart rate or blood pressure.

Regular exercise, drinking plenty of water, eating from all 5 food groups and controlling food portions are more likely to protect our hearts than the amount of caffeine we consume.