The beverage industry has taken on more than just the challenge of making good-tasting drinks and is now aiming (or just claiming) to help the public lose weight, gain energy, and increase its physical strength and endurance. Based on sales, consumers seem to trust these claims, but are such benefits possible from a glorified soft drink?
7-11s across the country will now be stocking not only candy and potato chips but "Skinny Water," an "all-natural" (hard to believe given its weight loss ingredient called Super-CitriMax), calorie-free beverage that supposedly "helps suppress the body's appetite, increase metabolism, and block carbohydrate absorption." There are quite a few other beverages, both in development and on the market, which claim remarkable benefits. Here are a few types of "enhanced" beverages:
"Diet Drinks": A number of manufacturers have developed drinks, like Skinny Water, which they claim burn calories, boost metabolism, and aid in weight loss. These include Fuze Slenderize, a fruit punch; Celcius, which comes in various flavors; and Enviga, a calorie-burning tea. It is important to note that because these drinks are not "drugs" (meaning they do not prevent, cure, or treat disease) they do not need advance approval from the FDA for their claims, and often there is very little scientific evidence supporting them (Fuze admits that _no_ scientific tests have been done on their drinks to back up their weight loss claims).
Energy Drinks: Beverages such as Red Bull and Rockstar have become very popular, though experts say these drinks fail to offer the boost they promise. An article in the Seattle Times (Aug 10, 2005) suggests that their high concentrations of sugar and caffeine can cause dehydration, not to mention large risks when used in excess or mixed with alcohol, as has become popular among young people. In this article, professor Mark Kantor explains that there is very little scientific data on such drinks and states, "A nutritionist defines energy as calories...If you refer to energy as something that gives you pep and zip and stamina, that's just a myth. There's nothing that provides that in food." Additionally, these drinks are expensive. A consumer analyst from England explained, "energy drinks command a substantial premium over other soft drinks, as consumers are prepared to pay a relatively high price for the energy boost." Despite high prices and questionable effectiveness, the energy drink industry has become a nearly $1 billion industry, with over 1000 brands available.
Protein Drinks: Both athletes and couch potatoes have become avid users of "sports drinks" such as Gatorade, as well as "recovery drinks" such as Powerbar Recovery and Cytomax, which include a nearly four to one ratio of protein to carbohydrates and promise endurance, hydration, and faster muscle recovery. The protein drinks are mostly sold in powder form (to be mixed with water) and have ingredients that are often in such high concentrations that they may be hard for the body to digest during exercise. The science behind these drinks is preliminary and vague. The New York Times notes that in one study "the extra endurance could not definitively be attributed to the extra protein...because the athletes who drank both carbohydrates and protein consumed more total calories than those who drank carbohydrates alone." Other studies have been performed only on very small groups of people. This raises the question of whether the observed effects would be true for the general public.
Despite unclear scientific evidence of their effectiveness, drinks that promise easy fixes appeal to many. It is hard to believe that a beverage alone can deliver weight loss, though products such as Skinny Water will most likely fly off the shelves. While elite athletes may benefit from the added calories, proteins, and electrolytes of sports drinks during their workouts, there is a large group of inactive people, more likely to experience TV marathons than running marathons, who do not need these calories. Sometimes less is more, and enhanced isn't always better.
Sara Cuccio is a research intern at the American Council on Science and Health.