The lowdown on energy drinks

Energy drinks have been in the news lately, mostly because of the caffeine added to selected malt alcoholic beverages. With the news that these energy drinks pose a health concern, we pose the question: Do most people know what ingredients are in them?

Most energy drinks contain caffeine in varying amounts, as well as small amounts of taurine (an amino acid), guarana (a plant with high amounts of caffeine), ginseng, sucrose (sugar), B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, and pantothenic acid), glucuronolatone (a chemical produced by the human body), and other components. Energy drinks may contain 50 mg to over 500 mg of caffeine per can. To put that in perspective, a cup (8 ounces) of coffee contains approximately 100 mg of caffeine and colas contain about half of that amount.

Energy drinks shouldn’t be confused with sports drinks, which contain mainly electrolytes and sugar. Over 200 different brands of energy drinks are on the market. Red Bull continues to dominate along with Monster, SoBe, Rockstar, and Full Throttle. Energy boosters or energy shots are also becoming popular as most do not contain sugar. These products also contain B vitamins with varying amounts of caffeine and various herbs and botanicals.

Energy drinks are marketed to adolescents and young adults for athletic performance enhancing effects, improved concentration and weight loss. Adverse health effects, such as nervousness, insomnia, and headache, have been reported due to caffeine intakes from such products of 250-300 mg per day. Other side effects include increased heart rate, cardiac arrest, and stroke. Studies have found that combining an energy drink with alcohol can have detrimental effects on mood and cognitive performance, and also mask the signs of alcohol intoxication. Due to this and other health concerns, FDA recently issued a warning to four companies that the caffeine added to malt alcoholic beverages was an “unsafe food additive.” The concern is that the addition of caffeine to alcohol leads to risky behavior.  Several deaths have already been reported. The companies will need to reformulate their products or remove them from the market. Some states have already banned the sale of alcoholic energy drinks.

Although the FDA warning is a step in the right direction, studies indicate that young adults mix alcohol and energy drinks on their own anyway, which leads to the same health concerns as when using products pre-mixed by the companies. Part of the problem is the forceful marketing by the energy drinks companies, and the perception among young adults that the caffeine will keep them awake and alert longer.

Clearly more research needs to be conducted to determine all health risks associated with consuming energy drinks. Why do they continue to be so popular in spite of warnings and reports of adverse side effects? It seems people are still looking for a “quick fix” for performance enhancement and weight loss. But, there is no substitute for a healthy, balanced diet and exercise.