We’ve all felt it before — that constant yawning, vision-blurring, eye-drooping exhaustion that seems to find us when we’re having a breakthrough in an otherwise unsuccessful study session or we’re just plain fighting to stay awake for lecture.

We can see it in other students too; they’re the ones who slouch into class wearing sweats (and possibly a stamp on their hands) and drinking some sort of morning remedy to recover from the night before.

Whether they were out at KAM’s on a school night or cramming at club UGL, the smartest students are the ones who have not fallen for these myths about energy drinks:

*Energy drinks make you burn more calories and lose weight: FALSE!*

University students are pretty savvy, but not when it comes to this simple yet false equation they have derived:

Tired, lazy student Caffeine Sugar = Energetic Student faster metabolism weight loss.

While caffeine does have a wake-you-up effect, the sugar factor in this equation can actually cause weight gain because of the added calories.

“Energy drinks themselves are not a weight loss strategy. Weight loss comes in if the person actually moves around more and exerts physical energy,” said Jenna Hogan, nutrition & wellness educator of the University Extension. “The added sugar must be balanced out with a workout.”

*Sugar-free energy drinks are healthier: TRUE!*

The sweetest part about energy drinks, the sugar, is also one of its most harmful components. So what happens when you opt for the sugar-free energy drink?

“Although sugar free is somewhat healthier, you’re still getting excessive caffeine,” Hogan said. “So the energy drink is still not a healthy option.”

Even more deceiving is the fact that sugar free does not necessarily mean carb free, so you’re still getting a large amount of simple carbohydrates in your diet that you would not otherwise consume, said Jeanette Andrade, registered dietitian and graduate assistant at McKinley Health Center.

And in the long run, energy drinks (sugar-free or not) will create more damage than benefits. According to Hogan, constant consumption of energy drinks with such high doses of caffeine can be linked to disruptive sleep, dehydration, high blood pressure, seizures, strokes and kidney problems.

Yes, you should probably reach for that bottle of orange juice instead.

*Energy drinks give you long-lasting energy: FALSE!*

Sometimes, your energy drink can ‘give you wings.’ But beware of the crash that many experience after a short boost.

“The crashing effect comes from carbs (sugar) within the drink,” Hogan said. “Simple carbs, the kind that are in sugars and added sugars in candy bars and cookies, create a quick boost of energy, but after the body quickly burns them up, we are emptied of that energy later on.”

“For long-term energy production, it would be better for someone to have a small meal snack,” Andrade said. “(Whereas) if you drink an energy drink, 30 minutes later you’re starving and looking for food.”

*Energy drinks help you have a better workout: FALSE!*

It seems logical that if an energy drink gives you a quick boost, it should be able to get you through a workout — but the truth is that the added ingredients can in fact hinder your capacity to power through your fitness routine.

“There is no evidence to show improved performance,” Hogan said. “What we really want is more dietary fiber to slow down the lowering blood glucose levels to sustain energy throughout the workout.”

According to Hogan, energy drinks were even banned from the Olympics because of the product’s lack of regulation and, especially in adolescents, its potential side effects of hypertension and increased blood pressure. Energy drinks can also be diuretics, which means that they cause increased urination and dehydration.

So for all of those shortcut, quick-fix seekers, energy drinks are not the answer. The good old-fashioned formula of hard work, a healthy diet and a good night’s rest still prevails, said Hogan.

*Energy drinks have more caffeine than a cup of coffee: TRUE!*

Hold on, night owls — a cup of coffee may still be a smarter choice because unlike an energy drink, at least you know exactly what’s in your morning cup of joe.

“The term energy drink is not supported by the FDA or USDA,” said Hogan. “They actually fall under the classification of supplements, which means that they aren’t regulated and there’s no control over ingredients or caffeine to ensure that they’re safe.”

For example, a cup of coffee might have 85 mg of caffeine, and a soft drink 25 mg.

“Compare that to the 90 to 900 mg per serving in an energy drink,” Hogan pointed out. “And that’s just if you’re drinking one serving. So it may be making you stay awake but at the same time it can also be doing some damage.”

*Energy drinks make you more alert when drinking alcohol: FALSE!*

Because alcohol slows your heart rate while the caffeine in energy drinks can make it increase, someone came up with brilliant mixtures that combine the two and magically cancel out the effects of alcohol. Yeah right.

“The truth is that caffeine and alcohol run into each other and negate each other instead of working efficiently,” Andrade said.

And as for the myth that energy drinks cure a hangover, Andrade confirms that this is also false.

“Nothing except time and a lot of water will cure a hangover,” she said.

For the same reason people still drink soda even though they know it is loaded with sugar, a few debunked myths may not be enough to stop people from buying a drink that can be harmful if consumed regularly. As far as Andrade is concerned, the choice is completely up to you.

“If people absolutely believe that these energy drinks are providing them with some energy, as long as they’re conscious about what it does to their body and about the amount of calories they’re consuming, and as long as they’re well aware of the detrimental effects that could occur,” she said, “then it’s up to them to choose to drink it.”