Noticed - Too Much Red Bull? Relaxation Drinks For Sale

But, as it turns out, the drinks may have worked a little too well.

The nation is so wired that it looks as if consumers are now thirsting for anti-energy drinks.

“Relaxation shots” like Snoozeberry and iChill and soporific beverages with names like Unwind, Dream Water, Koma Unwind Chillaxation and Drank are aiming to take away the very buzz their caffeinated predecessors were designed to deliver. There are already more than 350 kinds of relaxation drinks on the market, according to Agata Kaczanowska, an analyst with the research company IBISWorld. Instead of slogans like Jolt’s“All the sugar and twice the caffeine,” these new drinks proffer serenity with maxims like Unwind’s“Tired of being wired?” and Drank’s“Slow your roll.”

Though that’s not all they are promising.

Drank claims it can help prevent jet lag. A drink called Blue Cow says it can improve concentration, relieveanxietyandirritabilityfrom fatigue, and even diminishPMSsymptoms. Another brand, Mini Chill, says that because it lessens tension, some users have reported better sex lives.

These would-be wonder drinks are coming soon to more grocery, big-box and convenience stores across the land. In the beverage industry they are known as“relaxation drinks”— and they are a big business.

The industry is expected to generate $500 million in sales revenue this year, according to IBISWorld, a year-over-year increase of about 327 percent.

The drinks often contain melatonin, valerian root and rose hips. But relaxation drinks are not regulated by theFood and Drug Administration. Dr. Wahida Karmally, director of nutrition for the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research atColumbia University Medical Center, said that while melatonin is sometimes prescribed for jet lag, it affects other hormones. For instance, it can interfere with normal sexual development in children and altersperm count. And she said“it shouldn’t be used by women who are trying to get pregnant or who are pregnant orbreast-feeding.” Melatonin can also interact with prescription medications.

Not all relaxation drinks contain melatonin or valerian, though. Blue Cow, for instance, does not. Some brands have a lot of sugar; others have none. Yet even an ingredient as seemingly benign as rose hips, which containvitamin C, can be problematic because too much vitamin C can harm your stomach.

The beverage makers say on their Web sites that the levels they recommend are safe. Doctors say there is no way to know, and that consumers should confer with their physicians before drinking a bottle— which typically costs several dollars.

Dr. Karmally offered some alternatives: take a warm bath before bedtime, listen to relaxing music, practiceyoga, sip warm milk.

“A cup of skim milk,” she said,“is about 25 cents.”

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