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The energy product market, particularly energy drinks, is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Advertisers promote these products to enhance alertness and performance and aid in weight loss. The main target and highest consumers are teens and young adults. Since energy products are sold as conventional food products or dietary supplements, most people assume they are safe. However, a 2012 report from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highlights some potential safety issues with these products.
Caffeine is the main ingredient in most energy products.
The average adult consumes about 200 mg of caffeine per day. This translates to about two 5-ounce cups of coffee or four 12-ounce sodas. In contrast, some energy drinks can contain 200 mg or more in one 8- to 12-ounce serving. Energy shots can pack that same punch into 2 ounces. It’s easy to see how someone could quickly reach the 400 mg dose that most experts consider to be safe for adults.
To complicate matters, the FDA does not require food labeling to include the amount of caffeine in energy drinks or other products. It only requires products to list caffeine when it is an added ingredient. Caffeine often hides in natural ingredients people may not recognize, such as guarana.
Caffeine is a stimulant.
Although many people don’t realize it, caffeine is a drug. It stimulates the nervous system, which accounts for its mental and physical effects. Some people are very sensitive to caffeine’s effects, while others seem to be very tolerant. Side effects from caffeine can include nervousness, irritability and insomnia. It can also affect your heart, causing problems including:
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Fast heart rate
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Heart palpitations
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Heart rhythm problems
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Increased blood pressure
These side effects can be especially dangerous for people with any type of heart disease or defect. Sometimes, people are not aware they have a heart condition until a problem occurs. This is true even for teens and young adults.
Like any drug, consuming too much caffeine can be dangerous and even fatal. The 2012 FDA report on energy drinks includes ER visits, hospitalizations, and deaths due to heart-related problems. These episodes involved chest pain, irregular heart rate, life-threatening arrhythmias, heart attack, and cardiac arrest. While the report does not prove cause and effect, it raises serious concerns about energy drink side effects and the safety of these products.
Awareness is vital for safe consumption of caffeinated energy products.
The bottom line is too much caffeine—regardless of the source—can be a problem. For adults, don’t exceed the accepted safe dose of 400 mg per day. Keep in mind your safe dose may be lower than this if you are not a regular caffeine consumer. People tend to develop a tolerance for caffeine with regular use.
An occasional energy drink may not do any harm. But avoid gulping the drink quickly as this rapidly increases blood levels of caffeine. Also, do not combine energy drinks with other sources of caffeine, alcohol, or stimulant prescription drugs.
Energy drinks are not safe for children. The amount of caffeine exceeds a safe dose for them. In addition, caffeine may cause problems in children because their hearts and nervous systems are still developing.
If you or someone you are with has potentially had too much caffeine, dial 911 or call a poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. You should also seek emergency medical care for symptoms of a heart attack or other heart-related problem.
