Anton Kodra
Professor Roberts
Health 1050-042
A growing trend among teenagers is also becoming a public issue over their health and safety. Energy drinks may offer a few benefits, but the harmful cons outweigh the risks young adults and teenagers are taking by consuming these energy supplements. As with everything we put into our bodies, moderation is the key and excessively using anything may be harmful to your health. Parents need to be educated and know what their kids are potentially doing to harm their bodies. I want to inform the public of this current issue, in order to educate them of the dangers of energy drinks and what overusing them can do to your health.
Energy drinks are highly caffeinated beverages that contain other supplements used to give an energy boost (Wikipedia). They are also highly addictive, because of their caffeine content. They are an extreme stimulant and can put a lot of stress on the heart. The occasional energy drink is fine, but overusing and abusing them is very harmful to your health. Studies show that the amount of caffeine contained in a single energy drink, greatly exceeds the amount that a person should intake in a single day. Caffeine at one time was on the IOC (International
Olympic Committee ) list of prohibited substances for many years (Heneman). This shows that even high health officials of the world have banned this substance at one point.
Energy drinks have become popular amongst teenagers and are used a lot by athletes in high school in hopes of performance boosting or enhancing. Kids often will use them in excess and "chug" them, or take in large amounts all at once or in a very short amount of time. Energy

Anton Kodra
Professor Roberts
Health 1050-042 drinks are not intended to be used this way, but popular culture and marketing teaches them otherwise. "With the growing popularity of energy drinks, many parents have become concerned about how much caffeine their kids are getting. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents get no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine a day" (Zeratsky). A single drink or small serving of some may be close to or exceed that amount. So, when teenagers are "chugging" multiple energy drinks a day before very competitive high school sporting events, they are greatly exceeding doctors guidelines.
The risks involved with consuming energy drinks are increased when the person is younger. Drinking large amounts of caffeine in a short period of time may have similar affects as alcohol binging. Caffeine toxicity can lead to cardiac arrest and even death. The label on energy drinks does not require the amount of caffeine in a drink, thus leading individuals to drink too much caffeine as they don't know how much they are really consuming. The caffeine and sugar combine effects blood pressure and has many other adverse effects. Therefore, children and young adults should not be using these substances.
The term "energy drinks" was created by companies and is not even recognized by the
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Heneman). Even more, there is very limited evidence that consumption of energy drinks can significantly improve physical and/or mental performance, driving ability when tired, and decrease mental fatigue. There is however, evidence that the consumption of energy drinks has adverse effects. As stated before, the recommendation is not to exceed 100 mg/day. A single serving of an energy drink (8 to 12 fl oz)

Anton Kodra
Professor Roberts
Health 1050-042 can range from 72 to 150mg, which means that many bottles contain 2-3 servings, raising the content to as high as 294 mg of caffeine per bottle. Adults are not effected as greatly as such groups as women of reproductive age, children, and teenagers/young adults. These groups should limit their daily caffeine consumption (McCarthy). Any serving greater than 100 mg/day has been associated with elevated blood pressure. Other known converse effects are, but not limited to weight gain, cardiovascular problems, psychological hindrances, potential metabolic issues, dependence, nervousness, and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia). Everyone should really consider all of these adverse effects to your health, before choosing to consumer energy drinks or letting their children drink them.
Chart shows energy drinks caffeine content (Wikipedia).
Energy Drinks
Spike Shooter
Cocaine
Monster Energy
Full Throttle
Rip It, all varieties
Enviga
Tab Energy
SoBe No Fear
Service
Size
Caffeine
(mg)
8.4 oz.
8.4 oz.
16 oz.
16 oz.
8 oz.
12 oz.
10.5 oz.
8 oz.
Red Bull 8.3 oz.
Red Bull Sugarfree 8.3 oz..
Rockstar Energy Drink 8 oz.
300
288
160
144
100
100
95
83
80
80
80

Anton Kodra
Professor Roberts
Health 1050-042
SoBe Adrenaline Rush 8.3 oz.
Amp
SoBe Essential
Energy, Berry or
Orange
8.4 oz.
Glaceau Vitamin Water
Energy Tropical Citrus
20 oz.
8 oz.
79
74
50
48
There are other ingredients in energy drinks besides caffeine, and the majority of them are not safe to consume. The FDA has little data to prove the safety of the ingredients. Caffeine is known to increase endurance. Research has found that consumption of caffeine prior to heavy exercise to be safe; however the safety of consuming caffeine in energy drinks (that have other herbal supplements) prior to or during exercising is not recommended by individuals of any age. A high percentage of youth (11-18 years) consume energy drinks (42.3 %). The effects of ingredients found in energy drinks on children and adolescents has raised concern. Specifically, in adolescents caffeine consumption has been linked to an increase in blood pressure. Overall, We can see that the caffeine in energy drinks mixed with its other ingredients is not safe for consumption during heavy exercise and at anytime for a child or adolescent.
A popular trend found in adolescents is mixing energy drinks with alcohol. This popular cocktail concoction is mixing a stimulant with a depressant, ultimately leaving your body to try and act one way or another and leaves a lot of stress on your heart. Also, both alcohol and caffeine act as diuretics, which increase the chance of dehydration and can have adverse cardiovascular effects. It is not recommended at all to consume these energy drinks with alcohol.
There are even energy drinks that contain alcohol available on the market, although most brands

Anton Kodra
Professor Roberts
Health 1050-042 have been banned in almost every state, they are still available in some and on the internet.
Recent investigations have shown that a person who does so may not feel intoxicated, but still performs just as poorly (in motor coordination and reaction time) as they did after just drinking alcohol. Thus, an individual may unconsciously overlook the effects of intoxication and may not necessarily feel "drunk" due to the sensation of alertness produced by the stimulating effects of the energy drink (Heneman). This poses a lot of issues with teens who may practice this dangerous act of mixing energy drinks and alcohol.
Marketing companies and the media portray energy drinks as being "cool" and take on a similar approach to strategic marketing as tobacco and alcohol. Energy drinks are given cool names, such as "NOS", "Monster", and the ever so popular "Red Bull". Professional Athletes of action sports are sponsored by these companies and are seen in advertising geared towards teenagers. Red Bull gets involved with communities and cities, by hosting annual events and sporting galas to get adolescents and young adults involved in action or extreme sports. Monster drinks sponsors big Monster Truck shows and professional athletes. Ad time on popular television channels such as MTV and other networks for teens is often times filled with energy drink promotions. All of the marketing to our teenagers and the convenience of obtaining energy drinks should scare parents, teachers, and coaches of adolescents. We need to educate ourselves on the dangers of these drinks and do what we can to prevent them from abusing and becoming addicted to such a substance.

Anton Kodra
Professor Roberts
Health 1050-042
Works Cited
"Energy Drink." Wikipedia . Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_drink>.
"Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults." Pediatrics . Pediatrics
Group. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.
<http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/02/14/peds.2009-3592.full.pdf html>.
Heneman, Karrie, and Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr. "Some Facts about Energy Drinks." UC Davis
Department of Nutrition . UC Davis, 2007. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.
<http://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/content/infosheets/EnergyDrinks>.
McCarthy, Michael. "Overuse of Energy Drinks Worries Health Pros." USA Today . Gannett, July 2009.
Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2009-07-01-
Drinks_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip>.
"The Pros And Cons Of Energy Drinks." Symptomfind.com
. Symptom Finder. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/the-pros-and-cons-of-energy-drinks/>.
Tanner, Lindsey. "Energy Drinks Can Be Dangerous for Teens, Report Says." Msnbc.com
. Msnbc
Digital Network, 14 Feb. 2011. Web. 28 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41577256/ns/health-childrens_health/t/energy-drinks-can-bedangerous-teens-report-says/>.
Zeratsky, Katherine. "Nutrition and Healthy Eating." Mayo Clinic . Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/energy-drinks/AN01303>.