Energy Drinks During Exams: Are They Helping or Harming Students’ Health? Experts Explain

Energy drinks during exams: It is a scene that is common that occurs across the globe on the eve of exam to feel the rush, past midnight, textbooks are lying all over the desk, and the characteristic sound of an energy drink can being opened. To the students, these bright coloured cans have become associated with last minute cramming and assured of laser concentration and unlimited energy in a convenient caffeine-enriched gulp.

However, with the onset of exam time, the question of whether energy drinks are truly a study aid or a dangerous secret sabotaging the brain that they are supposedly fuelling becomes critical. To demystify whether energy drinks are helpful or harmful, we spoke to Dr. Shweta Jaiswal, HOD & Senior Dietician at Sharda Hospital.

Energy drinks and exams

According to Dr. Jaiswal, during exams students are in an ideal storm of sleep, stress, and high cognitive demand. This is when energy drinks position themselves as the fast solution by mixing caffeine and raising glucose levels quickly to keep one alert. In a few minutes, a student will be more awake, alert and can overcome the mental fog. She says that in the short-term, it is like a “performance enhancer”.

Hidden crash

However, Dr. Jaiswal cautions that the boost is just an illusion of physiology that is very costly. The body is in a state of emergency, which students might consider as help. She told Healthsite that the damage occurs in three serious forms when it is exam time:

1. The cognitive rebound: Caffeine blocks the adenosine (important sleep regulatory substance) preventing you from feeling sleepy. Upon the stimulant wearing off, the adenosine strikes back with a bigger blow which causes the so-called crash. This leads to extreme exhaustion and lack of focus during the real exam and in many cases a night of studying would be wasted.
2. Anxiety and memory interruption: Large amounts of caffeine cause the release of adrenaline. This increases the level of anxiety to an already stressed student resulting in jitters, racing heart and even panic attacks. According to Dr. Jaiswal, you will not be able to encode or retrieve memories in the presence of a fight or flight state in your body. You can look at the page for hours and hours, but you can remember little.
3. The sleep cycle sabotage: The dietician warns that you may be able to pass a syllabus with energy drinks after all-nighter, but you will kill the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep that consolidates what you have learned into long-term memory. You find yourself going into the exam hall when you are not fresh and cannot remember what you read.

“The physical effect is disastrous besides academic performance, as one can typically contain between 80mg and 300mg of caffeine which is close to three cups of coffee,” she explained. “Together with the amount of sugar in it (up to 10 teaspoons per can), students face the threat of severe dehydration, heart-palpations, and spike and crash in blood sugar levels.”

Energy drinks alternatives

Confused about whether energy drinks are beneficial or not? It is a definite yes, according to Dr. Jaiswal, because energy drinks help in giving the impression of assistance. The bad news is that in the long term, they negatively affect the health of the student as well as their academic performance. To cope with stress, anxiety and boost memory during exams, the dietician who has over 24 years of professional experience shared some alternative options to chemical stimulants such as:

1. Drinking water
2. Strategic use of short power naps instead of caffeine crashes
3. Consuming complex carbohydrates for sustained energy

She concludes, “The brain does not require a stimulant in the struggle of succeeding in exams; what it requires is fuel and rest.”

The content is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.