Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

is that the question? There was a time early on in my truck driving career that I would do, let say, questionable things, in order to get freight delivered on time. Most recently, I indulged in my old technique of consuming a 64 oz diet coke at 7 PM to keep me and the truck roll’n until about 4 AM. At that point, I knew I was back in Florida with plenty of available rest area parking. I took advantage of that fact and was asleep by 4:15 AM in a safe place. But I hate doing that – plus it took me two days to recover and stabilize my biorhythm.

So this brings to mind those energy "shots" and "energy" drinks. The one I see in my face at truck stops everywhere is the little 2 oz. – 5 hour Energy "blend." Then there is the larger 8 oz. or so Red Bull energy "type" drinks aka Monster, Full Throttle, Amp, Red Line and Spike Shooter. The creators of these super caffeinated drinks sell $3 BILLION of them a year.

According to an article in The New York Times: "The drinks include a variety of ingredients in different combinations: plant-based stimulants like guarana, herbs like ginkgo and ginseng, sugar, amino acids including taurine as well as vitamins. The main active ingredient is caffeine and the content varies. A 12-ounce serving of Amp contains 107 milligrams of caffeine, compared with 34 to 38 milligrams for the same amount of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Monster has 120 milligrams and Red Bull has 116. Higher on the spectrum, Spike Shooter contains 428 milligrams of caffeine in 12 ounces, and Wired X344 contains 258."

"In March, The Journal of American College Health published a report on the link between energy drinks, athletics and risky behavior. The study’s author, Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo, says it suggests that high consumption of energy drinks is associated with "toxic jock" behavior, a constellation of risky and aggressive behaviors including unprotected sex, substance abuse and violence."

I recall having to make an early steel delivery in downtown Chicago. It was cold. I was tired. The guy I worked for was an idiot. As the snow began to fall I shut down for the night and decided to do the remainder of the trip early in the morning. The alarm went off at 3:30 AM. OMG. I walked into the Pilot and purchased a Red Bull and a Hershey Bar. I’ve never drank radiator coolant – but I imagine it takes like Red Bull. About 20 minutes after beginning to drive, I began to have an out of body experience. I felt like I was separating from my skin. My hair was vibrating. I was actually looking down at myself driving from above the truck – just like I was hovering above with the roof missing. Somehow I got to the receiver, who, of course, didn’t need the material I was carrying – I was unloaded 5 hours later – still very much wide awake peeling myself off the walls of the cab. I never did that again.

There is a relatively new drink, they call it "energy juice", aka – Big "Ol Trucker. The link to their website is: http://www.bigoltrucker.com/main.html – I have not tried this particular brand. If you have, please let me know. And if you like, dislike or have an opinion on these energy drinks or shots, we appreciate your opinion. I personally prefer to stay away from all of them. I’m a one cup of coffee a day truck driver. I also try, as much as possible, to remain on a fixed more “normal” schedule. I know that is difficult for many drivers, especially the reefer guys and gals who have late night or early morning delivery appointments. Whatever you do, I ask that you use these drinks carefully and responsibly. And if you experience any strange effects after drinking one of the beverages – like "toxic jock" – consult with your health professional immediately.

The New York Times article can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/health/27well.html – Photo credits are: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Energy_drinks.jpg, http://www.learnit.com/samples/Fireworks/Fireworks%204%20New/part%202/drinking_coffee.png