According to a study published in the Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine magazine on March of 2008, more than 30% of teenagers in the United States reported they had consumed energy drinks in the year 2006. The consumption of these types of drinks has increased thanks to extensive marketing campaigns stating that these drinks eliminate fatigue and boost energy immediately. Also, the drinks are readily accessible to teenagers, available for purchase at any convenience or grocery store. However, very little has been said regarding the effects that these drinks actually have on our health.
The main ingredient in energy drinks is usually caffeine. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) classified caffeine as safe in 1958 and assured that people who drink caffeine in moderation have nothing to worry about. According to the American Dietetic Association drinking 2 or 3 cups of coffee (200-300 milligrams of caffeine) daily doesn’t have a negative impact on health. How caffeine impacts a person depends on their health status, physical condition, weight, amount of caffeine consumed and the frequency in which it is consumed.
Below, we provide some examples of the caffeine content for the most popular “energy” beverages.
| Beverage | Caffeine Content | Equivalent in Cups of Coffee |
| Full Throttle | 144 mg/16 ounces | 1 ½ cups |
| Mountain Dew Amp Energy | 71 mg/16 ounces | ¾ cup |
| Diet Pepsi Max | 46 mg/12 ounces | ½ cup |
| Red Bull | 80 mg/8.4 ounces | ¾ cup |
| Rockstar Energy Drink | 160 mg/16 ounces | 1 2/3 cups |
| SoBe No Fear | 174 mg/16 ounces | 1 2/3 cups |
| Coffee | 100 mg/8 ounces | |
| Coca-Cola | 34 mg/8 ounces | 1 2/3 cups |
* Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine (2008). Energy Drinks: The New Eye-Opener For Adolescents
Energy drinks also contain other stimulating substances such as ginseng and guarana. The effects of guarana are similar to those of caffeine, but the duration of the effect is longer, due to its tanine and saponine content. In addition, these drinks contain carnitine, a substance that allegedly helps burn fat and raise the spirits. However, there is not enough scientific research to form solid conclusions.
As you may have noticed, the amount of caffeine in one energy drink bottle is not excessive; the problem is the presence of other ingredients that multiply its effect, either by increasing the quantity or prolonging it. The consumption of these types of beverages should be moderate, and only if needed. They shouldn't be drunk as soft drinks due to the harmful effects they may have on your health. According to a study published in the Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine magazine on March of 2008, there has been one reported case of heart attack as a result of excessive caffeine consumption. In milder cases, the side effects of these beverages are:
- Nausea
- Irritability
- Heart palpitations
- Insomnia
- Restless sleep
- Esophagus and/or stomach irritation
- Changes in blood pressure
- Hyperthermia (too hot)
- Tachycardia (increased heart beat)
Sources:
- Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine (2008). Energy Drinks: The New Eye-Opener For Adolescents Reviewed in July, 2008 from www.mdconsult.com
- American Dietetic Association. Caffeine and Coffee: Are There Health Risks? Reviewed in August 2008 from www.eatright.org
- International Food Information Council. Everything you need to know about caffeine. Reviewed in August 2008 from http://www.ific.org/publications/brochures/caffeinebroch.cfm
