Half-life: An Excerpt of "Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks"

Half-life

The true meaning of the term "half-life" does not involve marriage, video games or unicorns. Half-Life, the video game, was released in 1998 as a science fiction  first-person shooter game about a theoretical physicist in a post-apocalyptic world. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a half-life is a cursed life, punishment for drinking the blood of a unicorn. In chemistry, the half-life of a compound or molecule is how long it takes to reach the half-way point in the process of breaking down.

Caffeine molecules are broken down and metabolized by the liver, and for some people it may take up to six hours to break down half the amount of caffeine ingested. Every person metabolizes caffeine differently because every person has different lifestyle factors that make their metabolism unique. Multiple servings of any caffeinated beverage in a short time span can be hazardous just because it takes the body so long to process the caffeine. 

 

Knowing how long it takes you, personally, to metabolize caffeine will help you avoid caffeine toxicity. In other words, how long after the first sip of a caffeinated beverage do you feel alert? How long after that do you feel like the caffeine has worn off? The more you pay attention to your body and mind, and also to how your surroundings affect your level of fatigue, the easier it'll be to answer these questions.

NEXT SECTION: Frequency

Knowing how long it takes your body to process caffeine will help you avoid overdosing, but the following four frequencies will also help you stay safe.

1. Milligrams per Day
2. Milligrams per Serving
3. Milligrams per Hour
4. Milligrams per Week - Caffeine Tolerance

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Caffeine Consumption in the USA -- Energy Drinks in the News

A study published in January 2014 involving over 40,000 people defines beverage caffeine intakes in the US, revealing the amounts of caffeine consumed and from what source per age group. As your Green-Eyed Guide, I’m going to explain what it all means.

The following is a scientist to non-scientist translation of the article “Beverage caffeine intakes in the U.S.”, published in Food and Chemical Toxicology 63 (2014) 136-142, which is available here.

 

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The Xanthan Gum Disaster - A Day in the Life of a Food Scientist

This is a series of posts in which I share snippets of what it's like to be a food scientist. As a product developer for dry powder shakes, there are some lessons I never learned in school and some challenges I never saw coming.  

Unexpected Challenge: Cleaning up Xanthan Gum

I like working with Xanthan gum because it's more tummy-friendly than some of the other gums like guar gum and doesn't solidify in the presence of milk like carrageenan. Konjac gum acts like a giant sponge, which is great if you're trying to reach satiety but not-so-great when your beverages turn into pudding.

First - a bit of science
Xanthan gum is a carbohydrate polymer used to give structure to gluten-free products, soften ice cream and thicken soups/sauces and dry powder shakes. It comes from bacterial fermentation -- basically bacteria named Xanthomonas campestris eat simple sugars, then build complex sugar chains which act as a protective outer coating. That coating is isolated and purified to make Xanthan gum.

For a colorful cartoon diagram covering the step-by-step production of Xanthan gum, check out:
Science of Xanthan - Harvard Microbiology

The Situation 
The only downside to working with Xanthan is that it's easy to spill. Like any dry powder in transit from the jar or bag to the weigh boat on a scale, some of it just seems to slide off the scoop onto the counter. As I assure my boss at the end of every day when he gives me that "Why is our white counter top so colorful" look, I never spill on purpose.

Enter to Win Goodreads Givaways

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Goodreads Book Giveaway

ARE YOU A MONSTER OR A ROCK STAR? A Guide to Energy Drinks - How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely

by Danielle Robertson

Giveaway ends February 15, 2014.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

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Energy Drinks in the News: Study Substantiates Cognitive Effects of 5-Hour Energy

In response to the article posted on January 14, 2014 by BevNet:
http://www.bevnet.com/news/2014/study-substantiates-cognitive-effects-of-5-hour-energy

At first I was questioning the placebo, since there are studies that starve the control group and give caffeine and/or sugar for the test group. In studies like that, it’s no wonder the control group crashes, see The Dark Side of Thylakoids and Other So-called Appetite Suppressants for example. But in this study, the randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled design gives credence to the results, even more so because they tested blood glucose levels and found NO significant difference. These are the details I look for as a scientist to poke holes in the results, but in this case, this study looks solid and without reproach. I especially like that Dr. Udani couldn’t comment on the “no crash claim”. Good scientists are careful about extrapolating their results.

What They Didn't Teach Me in Food Science

This is a series of posts in which I share snippets of what it's like to be a food scientist. As a product developer for dry powder shakes, there are some lessons I never learned in school and some challenges I never saw coming.  

 

Unexpected Challenge: You must play a game (AND WIN) before you can start your work. The name of that game is "Level the Scale".

Let's say your work involves weighing out fruit, vegetable and protein powders. This work involves a scale. You can't use that scale until the little bubble is in the circle. Getting the bubble in the circle is harder than it seems, and when you finally get it in the circle, the victory does not last but one day. Since the counter-tops are covered in a thin layer of dust by the end of the day, you must move the scale (thus resetting the bubble) to properly clean your workspace before you go home.

 
I never had to play this game as an undergrad or in grad school because there was always a group of people using the scale after me. I wasn't permitted to move the scale so I never had to readjust it. Every new lab session, the bubble would already be in its proper place.




Rest assured, this is a game anyone can master after awhile, but it's always fun to watch the newbies struggle with adjusting the height of the scale's four legs. Before I had developed my winning strategy, it once took me 25 minutes to level the scale. Lets just say it seems the person who built that table must've had a hard time with the bubble in their level too.

Now it only takes me one minute or two to level the scale, and it's a challenge I've come to enjoy. Nonetheless, this is one of the many lessons I never learned in school. 


 Next Lesson - The Trouble with Xanthan
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Stay tuned for more lessons from the lab. 
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Mintel: Almost 6 in 10 Energy Drink Consumers Concerned About Safety

A Mintel study reports that almost 6 in 10 energy drink consumers are concerned about the safety of the products. Before we assume anything from this report, consider a few points for perspective.

Energy Drink of the Month - January 2014

Every January I'm ready to hit the ground running. I've got PIGs and POAs, abundant optimism and fresh determination to make the most of the new year. Chances are you do too.

 

To be successful, you need S.M.A.R.T. goals. To sustain that optimism and determination through January and beyond, you might need a V8.

To celebrate the new energy and fresh start of a new year, the Energy Drink of the Month for January 2014 is V8 V-Fusion + Energy. 

 

There are many flavors available, but this month's pick is pomegranate blueberry flavored, which contains 50% juice.

For the long road ahead, through the ups and downs toward your goal, to help you switch gears when you feel you're spinning your wheels and going nowhere fast, let V8 be your fuel-of-choice.

7 Little-Known Facts About V8 V-Fusion + Energy

Read on... CLICK HERE

What I do when I'm not blogging...

As some of you may know, I am on the R&D team for Beachbody. The latest creation has been one of my projects since about March 2013. It took a long time to find the right color pink, and an even longer time to find the perfect strawberry flavor. The flavor is natural, of course, but have you ever thought of how many different aspects of strawberries you enjoy? Jammy? Tart? Sweet? Cooked? Creamy? The possibilities were endless but I hope you like this creation.

Post by Shakeology®.

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