Coffee is my go-to drink when I need a little pick me up to get through a writing assignment (or a craft-intensive Brownie meeting). There's nothing I like better than sipping on a hot cup of Joe, doctored up with plenty of cream, of course. I may switch to Diet Coke in the afternoons, but I am pretty old-school when it comes to my drinkable energy. And usually one or two cups a day are enough for me, or I am a jittery, irritable mess. But I know many folks prefer energy drinks and energy shots for a quick jolt of energy. I have always shied away from them, because I didn't know exactly what was in them (mostly lots of caffeine, herbal ingredients and other stimulants). And the drinks' aggressive sounding names like "Monster," "Red Bull," and "Full Throttle," just turned me off. Seeing as how energy drinks are marketed mostly to people between the ages of 21 and 35, maybe I was being an old-fashioned fuddy duddy.
Maybe not.
The FDA is investigating reports of five deaths that may be associated with the Monster energy drink. Monster is also being sued by the family of a 14-year-old girl with a heart condition who died after drinking two cans of Monster in a 24-hour period. Also, New York’s attorney general is investigating the energy drink industry.
Investigations are ongoing as to what caused the deaths linked to Monster. However, experts single out caffeine as the problematic ingredient in energy drinks. On average, energy drinks contain about 70 milligrams of caffeine per eight-ounce serving. In comparison, an eight-ounce cup of coffee contains an average of 100 milligrams of caffeine, and soft drinks have about 24 milligrams of caffeine. However, cans of energy drinks often contain more than one serving and caffeine content varies widely—with some brands containing three times the caffeine as others. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends adults consume less than 300 milligrams of caffeine daily.
In moderation, caffeine is not harmful and recent studies show it may actually have some health benefits. The problem is that caffeine affects everyone differently, so some people are more sensitive to it than others (like me).
Read more about energy drinks in my latest article for UT HealthLeader.