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Scrutinizing Energy Drinks: Fair? Or Not?

In recent months, energy drinks have come under scrutiny regarding their energy additives; and how those can affect the human body, for better or worse. There are two sides to every argument, so here they are: the “pro energy drink” market argues that energy drinks are a safe way to get a vital energy boost, and that the energy additives (ingredients like caffeine, B vitamins, or amino acids) do not place any undo harm on the health of the consumer.

The “anti energy drink” advocates say that the extreme levels of caffeine and other energy substances (taurine, L-carnitine, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, B vitamins) work in combination with other health factors to create a dangerous brew of potentially bad health effects. People with heart conditions, pregnant women, hyperactive adults and kids, and a large list of other health factors could possibly be increased with the addition of an energy drink. But the research is not inclusive and more time is needed to understand the total effect of an energy drink and how it plays out with varying health factors.

Others argue that the sector of energy drinks, the so-called “dietary supplement” market is a loosely regulated one. The ingredients in energy drinks are “generally regarded as safe” which obviously places ambiguity among the drinks ingredient list. There is even more ambiguity when it comes to reporting the amount of caffeine one can find in certain energy drinks.

Some energy drink manufacturers throw caffeine into their specialized “energy blends”  and treat them like a sort of “special recipe” which is a bit confusing to the consumer who wants to find out what exactly is in an energy blend; specifically how much of each ingredient is in the drink as well.

Energy drink manufacturers do include labeling on their cans that state there is no need for any excessive intake of the beverage. For example, the Monster energy drink features a label that reads, “Not recommended for children, pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine.”

Doctors are worried that the excessive intake of the energy formulas found in energy drinks could lead to larger health problems like anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Another recurring trend for energy drink consumers is to mix the beverage with alcohol, potentially creating a doubly as effective intoxicating brew that keeps one more alert while they can consume even more alcohol, and that could have damaging circumstances.

The following is a list of common energy drinks and their caffeine contents by comparison to different beverages.

Photo Courtesy of http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/humannutrition/nutritionnews/Caffeine_Boosts_Energy_and_Sales.htm

The future will tell how the energy drink market is affected by scrutiny. The FDA could begin to impose stricter regulations against energy drink brands. And while the popularity of energy drinks remains steadfast, debates will continue to center on their health impact.

We would like to hear your comments on the matter of energy drinks. Can they negatively affect your health? Should there be stricter regulations called for? Do you have any problems with them? Let us know.