Energy Drinks, Gut Damage, Gallbladders… and Why Women Shouldn’t Train Like Men
In today’s episode I cover two topics that came up in real conversations this week: energy drinks (especially in teens/20s) and a key Muscle Month training concept most people get wrong.
A client told me her doctor is seeing more gallbladder issues in young people, plus signs of gut lining irritation — and energy drinks keep showing up in the pattern.
This isn’t fear-based content. It’s education.
Why energy drinks hit hard:
They’re not “just coffee” — caffeine can be coming from multiple sources, and people often stack it with coffee, pre-workout, and sometimes ADHD meds.
If they’re sugar-based: blood sugar spike → crash → cravings → repeat.
If they’re “zero sugar”: some sweeteners may affect tight junctions / gut barrier over time, especially with a low-fiber, processed diet.
Add in acidity + carbonation and you’ve got a perfect recipe for reflux, nausea, bloating, and ‘my stomach is always off.’
The real problem: it becomes a daily habit replacing sleep, breakfast, hydration, and real food — aka borrowed energy.
Nope — and the “muscle is muscle” line is oversimplified.
In Muscle Month, I explain how muscle fiber tendencies and fatigue patterns often differ, which changes:
pacing
rest times
exercise sequencing
how you build muscle efficiently (without grinding yourself into dust)
If you want to actually learn how muscle is built (and train in a way that works for your body), join me:
Questions? joanne@joannelee.com
Coaching? www.joannelee.com
