Can supplements really help you focus? Science Behind FocusAid

To say it was difficult getting good grades in high school while balancing competitive sports, family obligations etc. feels as silly as admitting I cried over a difficult physics exam. Now I laugh at my previous concept of “difficult” with the context of college, grad school, and adulthood. But balancing everything in high school was hard, and I was in high school during the early 2000s, before energy drinks and Starbucks took over the world. Then energy drinks came along, and I balanced two jobs while I was a full-time student in college, then two different jobs while I was in grad school. Caffeine changed my life in more ways than one, and I’ve been studying the science behind energy drinks since the day I declared myself a biochemistry major back in 2003. Read more

Bai Sparkling, Cocaine Energy, and Monster Ultra Violet: July Recap of Quick Reviews – Science of Energy Drinks

Here’s a recap of the quick reviews posted this month for the “Science of Energy Drinks” series on the GreenEyedGuide Instagram and Facebook pages: Bai Sparkling Antioxidant Infusion, Cocaine Energy, and Monster Ultra Violet.

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What do TAURINE and CARNITINE do? Science Behind Monster Purple [YouTube]

In place of the Energy Drink of the Month, GreenEyedGuide  explains the function of the key ingredients in Monster Ultra Violet.

3 Ingredients in the Monster Energy Blend:

  1. Caffeine – how much is in this product and how much is safe?
  2. Taurine – what does it do and why does GreenEyedGuide call it a taxi?
  3. Carnitine – what does it do and why does GreenEyedGuide call it a doorman?

Energy Drink of the Month will resume August 2017!

Review the entire ENERGY DRINK OF THE MONTH SERIES

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How Much Carnitine? Book Excerpt of the Week

For last week’s Book Excerpt, we reviewed the role of carnitine in the body and how it helps the body’s powerhouse, the Mighty Mitochondria. This week we ask, “How much carnitine is too much?”

With a well-balanced diet, a healthy human body makes enough carnitine to meet demand.

Carnitine supplements have been used in clinical trials for age-related cognitive decline, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease. These studies use carnitine in GRAMS and many energy drinks contain carnitine in MILLIGRAMS.

In other words, don’t expect the carnitine amount in energy drinks to MAKE YOU OVERDOSE on carnitine or PREVENT COGNITIVE DECLINE.

The body is pretty effective at getting rid of excess carnitine so consuming too much shouldn’t be a big concern… unless you have an empty stomach. Taruine, carnitine, and B-vitamins can irritate an empty stomach, leading to nausea, light-headedness, and other stomach pains.

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Carnitine and the Mighty Mitochondria – Book Excerpt of the Week

Carnitine is another popular energy drink ingredient, but WHAT DOES IT DO? Carnitine is a doorman, a carrier. Carnitine carries fatty acids across the threshold, into the place where they’re metabolized: the mitochondria. The mitochondria is basically where molecules that used to be food are converted to energy. 

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!

Carnitine doesn’t just bring things INTO the mitochondria, it also helps REMOVE WASTE. This is an important job because if waste builds up in the mitochondria, it can slow energy production down. 

MY GOODNESS, WHAT DID WE EVER DO WITHOUT THE CARNITINE IN ENERGY DRINKS?!? 

Stay tuned for next week’s book excerpt from my book “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks- How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely” 

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