The advantages of energy drinks for aging baby boomers, compared to the dangers they pose for children, are:

* Those of us who have survived this far are too smart to abuse caffeine, which is the main stimulant in most of these drinks.

* It’s amazing how much more awake you can be with a well formulated energy drink compared to old java, without the jitters, upset stomach, etc.

* The best formulations are herbal and nutrient blends that provide the fuel for energy creation while moderating side effects.

* Buying these drinks in bulk can save us time and money compared to driving to the convenience store or coffee kiosk twice a day.

* We can get our basic vitamin needs in some energy tonics without swallowing a handful of pills.

* We have learned to manage our need for sleep, unlike young people who burn the candle at both ends.

* Boomers often say we’d give anything to be 20 again and know what we know now – here’s a way to combine our great experience with the energy of youth.

* We can enjoy these drinks because we know that more of a good thing is not necessarily better

* Those of us who are not retired, or who like to do strenuous things for recreation, may find the right drink can greatly increase our stamina and minimize pain the next morning

* We are smart enough to do some research to choose a healthy energy tonic for our enjoyment.

* We can relive the joie de vivre of our youth, without doing anything illegal, immoral, or fattening!

* Some brands of energy drinks can even help us lose weight through the principle of thermogenesis.

Energy drinks have been unfairly and uniformly categorized as bad, dangerous, and unhealthy. Most of them are less healthy, but not all. Many of the problems with them stem from absurd levels of sugar and caffeine and simply from abuse by those who drink them.

Let’s not “throw the baby out with the bath water” when considering what benefits energy drinks can have for us.

Those under the care of a doctor and / or taking any medications should ask their doctor if there is any reason why they should not use energy tonics in moderation.