Now that teachers are passing out mid-term exams and students are starting to feel the weight of their workloads, energy-boosting products are becoming a popular way to fuel studies. Coffee, caffeine pills, and energy drinks are only a few options that students are presented with as an easy but potentially dangerous solution to their drowsiness.
"Students may be short on time and think an energy drink will help them stay up, but it could also result in a habit, caffeine addiction, and an added risk if used with alcohol," said Janice Cochran, a dietitian with Student Health and Wellness Services. "An energy drink may be viewed as an easy, convenient solution, but there are better ways to boost energy."
Common problems associated with caffeine products include anxiety, heart palpitations, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and stomach complaints, according to Cochran.
"When I have too much coffee, my heart beats irregularly and really fast," said Mimako Takahashi, a senior history major.
Despite the potential side effects, many students rely on energy-boosting products to make it through the day.
"My friend gets really hyper and jittery when she drinks coffee," said Pamela Cyran, a freshman linguistics major. "She works the night shift at her job though, and drinking coffee is what helps her stay up."
Cyran admitted that she once took caffeine pills to wake up for a dance after a long day of skiing.
Although Cyran is not a frequent user of caffeine pills, she finds little wrong with using caffeine in the form of coffee and energy drinks because negative side effects have never been a problem.
Anthony Baxter, a sophomore African American studies major, said that even if students do not feel negative side-effects, caffeinated drinks don't seem worth the trouble or the price.
"After I have an energy drink, I feel a short boost, and then I get tired," Baxter said. "Coffee keeps me awake but it makes me feel like I am a zombie."
Cochran warned that many caffeinated products do not provide content labels, a tendency that could potentially cause people with anxiety conditions or who are pregnant to unknowingly ingest caffeine.
Kimberly Dale, a sophomore nursing major, worries that students that rely on caffeine are forming a dangerous addiction.
It wouldn't take much for students to maintain energy the healthy way, Cochran said.
Major causes of fatigue include dehydration and poor diet choices, problems that are fixable by a change of routine rather than downing coffee, according to Cochran.
"Very small lifestyle changes can have a big impact." Cochran said. "Check your overall fluid intake, arrange for better sleep, or take a brisk walk when you need to perk up. Just see what small changes can do before relying too heavily on a supplemental stimulant."
Snacking on healthy food throughout the day and implementing an exercise routine are just a few examples of lifestyle changes that may boost energy, Cochran said.
"Some former coffee drinkers find taking a walk makes them feel even more awake," Cochran said.
The quicker, easier route of energy products appears to be the road more taken by students; however, awareness about the dangerous side effects of these products is swaying students to opt for healthier and more viable options.
"I don't drink caffeine. I don't put those chemicals in my body," Dale said. "It's a personal choice."
Additional reporting by Erin Crabtree and Victoria Orero
Life Editor and Senior Reporter
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
