Sugary, caffeinated beverages keep the working world revolving it seems, though healthier alternatives not only provide the same kick, but payoffs that benefit your entire system.

We’ve all fallen prey to the end-of-the-work-day slump, resorting to a final cup of coffee, soda or energy supplement to push through until the closing bell, though the level of additives in such beverages can become quite a concern when making frequent trips back to the vending machine, said Renee Waggoner, a registered dietitian.

“With small amounts of coffee, tea and a soda occasionally there’s nothing wrong with that, just not a six pack of sodas a day,” Waggoner said. “Everything in moderation.”

And that moderation is absolutely key when dealing with overly caffeinated and sugary drinks. Excessive sugar fools your body into thinking you’re not hungry, preventing you from consuming healthier foods and excessive caffeine can play havoc on your heart beat, Waggoner said.

“If your heart is in good shape and doing well, you’ll be fine, but over time it could cause some issues,” she said.

Those symptoms can be exacerbated when dealing with the colorful energy drinks lining the coolers at your local gas station. According to the USDA, the caffeine content of a single serving of an energy drink (about a third of a can) can range from 72 to 150 mg. Over-consumption of caffeine, above 400 mg a day can induce nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, arrhythmia, increased blood pressure and upset stomach.

Though even more surprising than caffeine levels are the high levels of sugars and sodium contained within an energy drink, said Geoff Speed, manager of Golden Carrot Natural Foods in Paducah. Just one serving of a popular energy drink contained 53 g of sugar and nearly 360 mg of sodium.

“Sugars completely deplete the body of B vitamins, so (energy drinks) try to include B vitamins into the drink so it will counteract all the negative effects it’s doing to the body,” Speed said.

Replacing such drinks can be hard due to the ease with which people can buy the products and feel the boost in energy, but Speed said there are healthier alternatives that don’t even include sugar, but still produce that noticeable spike.

The natural product, whey protein, can be taken with a glass of water and has similar payoff to an energy drink. Containing no sugars, less than 5 mg cholesterol and less than 1 mg carbohydrates, whey protein provides the body with protein that can be converted to energy.

Other natural ingredients, many made from the common bee, can also produce the desired effect without the health concerns. Royal Jelly contains all B-Complex vitamins, a rich source of proteins containing eight essential amino acids and nutrients. Ginseng supplies nutrition to the body to use hormones and stimulates the central nervous system.

“Basically what you’re doing here, you’re eliminating all your caffeine and you’re eliminating all your added, refined sugars and stimulants, to allow your body to just use the naturally occurring B vitamins,” Speed said.

“I know how good I do off sugar and it makes a huge, noticeable difference in your life.”

Waggoner suggested returning to a healthier diet of fruits and proteins, while also making sure you stay hydrated with water.

“Water is the best thing for you and if you don’t like the taste, add a little lemon or lime juice to it,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with adding Crystal Light, just use it in moderation.”

Call Will Pinkston, a Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8676.