Energy Drinks and Diving

[tech_diver]

oh man.....

I was drinking energy drinks for almost 15 years. I so loved their bubbly, sugary, chemically, stimulant goodness.... mmmm

But I started having bad stomach issues and had to cut out caffeine, cold turkey. Quitting was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Starting your day with a wholesome cup of tap water just isn't the same.

Today, it's been 30 days clean and it's clear that I will be fighting this demon the rest of my life. Taking it one day at a time...

Kids, if you need a boost in the morning, find something that's easier on your body and less addictive then energy drinks. Try something mellower, like cocaine....

 

[Hoag]

I have only had an energy drink once and I was no where near a dive site. I was sitting at a poker table in Vegas. I didn't feel like a coffee, so I ordered an energy drink (and vodka). About half an hour later, I got a pretty good hand and I "pushed all in". As I did, I noticed a faint tremor in my hands. To this day, I do not know if that tremor was because of the energy drink or if it was a reaction to the adrenaline of pushing all in for the very first time in my life. (FWIW, it would appear that I must have been the only one to notice that tremor, because I went on to win that tournament.)

I have not had an energy drink since that day.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I don't enjoy energy drinks--like Hoag, the couple of times I have had one were not pleasurable experiences--my normal drink of choice when I'm being active is water, and I rarely drink anything with sugar, but I have to admit that an ice-cold Coca Cola after a dive really hits the spot. My wife and I sometimes bring a couple of those 7.5 oz. mini cans. I think of it more like a candy bar than a hydrating drink.

 

[reks_mallo]

I'm no doctor nor am I claiming to know the science behind it, but FWIW I have ADHD and typically take heavy stimulants like adderal. When on dive trips, I've noticed my meds don't allow me to breathe as calmly as I'd prefer while diving. So, occasionally a moderate dosage of caffeine will give me the ability to focus without affecting my breathing. I am usually liberal with energy drinks and coffee on dive trips because they typically make me crash, but that's just the opinion of a 24 yr old.

 

[drbill]

I have pretty much cut out coffee (although I occasionally enjoy a pot on a rainy day). As for energy drinks like Monster, Red Bull, etc., I still have trouble understanding why anyone with a reasonably healthy diet and sleep needs them.

 

[Hoag]

I have pretty much cut out coffee (although I occasionally enjoy a pot on a rainy day). As for energy drinks like Monster, Red Bull, etc., I still have trouble understanding why anyone with a reasonably healthy diet and sleep needs them.

Your assumption might hold true for those people lucky enough to have "normal" daily routines (awake during the day / asleep during the night), but many of us have, or have had jobs that include shiftwork. Personally, as I stated in a previous post, I didnt have a good experience with the one time that I tried an energy drink, but I have seen on more than one occasion where someone drank one to get them "over the hump" on a midnight shift. Even with a healthy diet and adequate rest, it can sometimes be a challenge to be awake and alert 8 hours into a 12 hour mid.

Of course this does not apply while on a relaxing dive vacation.

 

[DocVikingo]

.

• Caffeine is a diuretic, and many people avoid drinking coffee or tea while diving because of a fear of dehydration. However, that diuretic effect is not as great as some people think, and the amount of water in a typical cup of American-style coffee more than offsets the effect of the diuretic. Thus, the overall effect of drinking most coffee is hydration, not dehydration. Tea has less caffeine than coffee.
• Dehydration is often linked to an increased risk of DCS, and many people stress that to a huge degree. You will see people chugging tons of water while diving for that reason. There is not, however, any clear research indicating that this is true. A number of experts believe that the danger is overstated.

Absolutely correct, Brother Boulderjohn.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[seeker242]

Outside of dehydration, are there other physiological symptoms that one can have from drinking energy drinks during or after diving?

Energy drink consumption has been associated with increases in blood pressure and stress hormones. Seems to me these are 2 things that you shouldn't be meddling with before diving! It's almost like injecting yourself with stress before going diving. Seems like a bad idea!

 

[PatW]

I have not intensely studied the physiological effects of energy drinks on the circulatory system. But deaths by energy drinks have been documented.

I suppose someone with a healthy circulatory system could consume them and dive with only a slight risk.

But we know that diving especially stresses the human circulatory system. Divers with higher risk of heart attacks like most geezers have been known to suffer heart attacks that seem associated with diving. Well that and shoveling snow.

So it would seem prudent to lay off energy drinks whilst diving especially for us geezers. It is easy for me to say because I do not drink energy drinks.

I would imagine that most people can moderately consume energy drinks whilst diving. But it probably nudges the odds up a bit.

 

[RRedd]

Energy drink consumption has been associated with increases in blood pressure and stress hormones. Seems to me these are 2 things that you shouldn't be meddling with before diving! It's almost like injecting yourself with stress before going diving. Seems like a bad idea!

I have not intensely studied the physiological effects of energy drinks on the circulatory system. But deaths by energy drinks have been documented.

I suppose someone with a healthy circulatory system could consume them and dive with only a slight risk.

But we know that diving especially stresses the human circulatory system. Divers with higher risk of heart attacks like most geezers have been known to suffer heart attacks that seem associated with diving. Well that and shoveling snow.

So it would seem prudent to lay off energy drinks whilst diving especially for us geezers. It is easy for me to say because I do not drink energy drinks.

I would imagine that most people can moderately consume energy drinks whilst diving. But it probably nudges the odds up a bit.

I would have to agree with both of you, I don't think it is a good idea to drink energy drinks and dive. I just returned from a dive trip. I would have to say, that I witnessed a gentleman (55 - 62 +/-) down an energy drink during the surface interval. He went descended after and came up before on a 83 +/- FSW dive. I don't think his age was a factor, he was in better shape than I. Just saying...