Thud, thud, thud … inhale for three seconds, exhale for two seconds — the sound of my footsteps and breath melding, blending. Sprinting down the dimly lit streets of College Avenue, the moon glints brightly on Oct. 31. The cold air makes every inhale I take sharper than the last one; my hands pump me forward, the momentum taking me around the block, blood rushing to my head, echoes of my breath thundering in my ears. I need more. I crave it. Stumbling into Derby Food Center, the jarring overhead lights make the pounding in my head worse, gasping as I find my way into the drinks aisle. The packaging is filled with bright bold greens and blues, with logos of slithering reptiles and strong horned bulls. Energy drinks — I want it, now.
Too often, caffeine withdrawals are triggered after not having a morning coffee, and many might meet those cravings by chugging a Celsius in the middle of the day for class. Yet others might be affected differently, causing them to feel like it’s the end of the world. Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include but are not limited to headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, irritability and more. Caffeine has scarily invaded many individuals’ day-to-day lives without them even realizing it. According to the Food & Beverage Journal, approximately 80% of Americans consume caffeine on a daily basis, and shockingly only about 8% know the daily safe limit. It seems that the average person consumes caffeine without even knowing its true effects other than it having a good taste and that it helps one get through the day.
But first, what is caffeine? According to Better Health, caffeine is “a drug that stimulates (increases the activity of) your brain and nervous system.” It is a stimulant that primarily affects the central nervous system — the human body’s main processing center that carries out all bodily functions made up of the brain and spinal cord. It is classified as methylxanthine — found naturally in plants — and is globally considered to be one of the most recognized psychoactive stimulants. Since it is a natural stimulant, they are most commonly found in coffee beans, tea leaves and even chocolate! With this profound accessibility, caffeine is integrated into an individual’s everyday diet more regularly than one may realize — whether that’s in drinks or food.
Today, there is one method of caffeine intake that has become increasingly popular, especially among young adults — energy drinks. The target demographics for energy drinks appeal primarily to children, young adults and athletes due to them being marketed as a means to enhance physical performance and mental alertness, as well as fulfill dietary demands, such as vitamins and electrolytes. In particular, energy drinks appeal largely to college students, whether it’s as a quick fix to wake up before class, a late-night grind session in the library or even right before an exam. The need to stay awake is more prevalent than ever, consequently putting these target groups in a scary predicament.
Although coffee is a major source of caffeine in the United States, energy drinks play a significant role as its external competitor, overall indicating the dependency individuals have on caffeine. Now who thought to create these caffeine-condensed carbonated drinks? In 1962, Taisho Pharmaceutical, a Japanese Company, created the first energy drink under the guise of a medicinal tonic to combat fatigue and promote quick alertness. These energy drinks contained: caffeine, B vitamins and taurine (an amino acid that supports bodily functions such as the nervous system, digestive, cardiovascular and more).
Gradually, this type of drink gained traction by promising quick alertness, various flavors and the formula’s added ingredients that uniquely make caffeine intake in energy drinks different from just coffee alone. In the 1980s, many countries adopted their own spin on the drink. Specifically in Austria, businessman Dietrich Mateschitz created his own formula for the drink and named it Red Bull. As a brand, Red Bull has skyrocketed and become the classic example of an energy drink all around the world.
So what is the recommended intake of caffeine and the effects of an energy drink? According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Mayo Clinic, the recommended maximum intake of caffeine for most adults is 400 milligrams a day (or more specifically, five milligrams of caffeine per 2.2 pounds of body weight). That is roughly about 4 cups of coffee or two “energy shot” drinks (similar to a small 5-hour ENERGY, not to be confused with a full-on energy drink), to put it into perspective. Caffeine intake exceeding these limits may cause headaches, nervousness, insomnia, fast heartbeat, muscle tremors, irritability, frequent urination or an inability to control urination. Yet, it is important to note that this is the recommended maximum limit and that caffeine affects everyone differently, especially adolescents. Of course, having an excess amount of anything will have implications, however, it is time to acknowledge the true effects that these stimulants have on the human body.
Furthermore, the amount of recommended caffeine intake changes when energy drinks in particular are brought into the mix. As mentioned earlier, the formula for energy drinks is not just caffeine alone; it includes B vitamins and taurine, which actively affects more than the central nervous system. B vitamins are essential players in nerve health because they work to heal and relieve nerve damage. For Taurine, it mainly regulates calcium levels, balances electrolytes and supports the development of the central nervous system; people rely on it for many different purposes such as promoting healthy metabolism, protecting muscle and organ health. However, there is one more ingredient that people may tend to forget: sugar. In particular, beverages with high amounts of taurine also have high amounts of sugar, and overall causes the mixture of caffeine, B vitamins, taurine and sugar to completely alter the effects these drinks have on an individual’s body. On average individuals should not have more than “16 ounces (473 ml) of a standard energy drink per day and try to limit all other caffeinated beverages to avoid excessive intake of caffeine. (And) pregnant and nursing women, children and teenagers should avoid energy drinks altogether.” For reference, the typical 16-ounce Monster Energy contains 160 milligrams of caffeine, and a 16-ounce Bang caffeine content is 300 milligrams. Although the amount of fluid ounces remains the same, the caffeine content may change drastically from brand to brand. These changes also apply if there are fewer fluid ounces as an 8.4-ounce Red Bull contains 80 milligrams of caffeine or a 12-ounce Celsius caffeine content is 200 milligrams.
The CDC states that an excess amount of energy drink intake may lead to insomnia, dehydration, heart complications — irregular heartbeat or heart failure — or anxiety. Even though some might counter that energy drinks with zero calories or sugar-free might be the solution, the reality is that zero-calorie and sugar-free drinks are not necessarily healthier because artificial sweeteners are used as substitutions. Artificial sweeteners lead to a number of health issues such as weight gain and obesity, and are associated with increased high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.
For instance, ZOA Energy is a sugar-free brand, yet their 12-ounce beverage contains 160 milligrams of caffeine while their 16-ounce contains 210 milligrams of caffeine. In comparison, the 16-ounce Monster Energy contains 160 milligrams of caffeine and 54 grams of sugar. These two examples provide insight into how from brand to brand, the amount of sugar and fluid ounces doesn’t necessarily equate to fewer milligrams of caffeine intake or if it is healthier for the human body. Even with substitutions for the regular versions, the detrimental effects of energy drinks remain the same. The only difference is in marketing.
Regarding the long-term effects of energy drinks, the Alcohol and Drug Federation states that “Longer-term issues include tooth decay, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. And, energy drinks have also been linked to high-risk behaviors in young people, including smoking, alcohol and other drug use, fighting and impulsive risk taking.” Although this may seem scary, it is crucial to recognize and acknowledge these effects — not only from health implications that come with them but also because of how, as the National Library of Medicine reports, “Unlike other psychoactive drugs, it is legal, cheap and not regulated in almost all parts of the world.”
Realistically, energy drinks are not going anywhere anytime soon, and the same goes for how much caffeine is seen in so many day-to-day beverages or food. However, everyone has the autonomy to lessen their consumption and have just the right amount by being educated. So the next time you might feel overly jittery, have shortness of breath or have heart palpitations that are a bit abnormal, it’s okay to be a bit scared — perhaps you should be.
