Safety Issues Associated With Commercially Available Energy Drinks
Safety Issues Associated With Commercially Available Energy Drinks
Objective: To describe benefits and adverse effects associated with the consumption of energy drinks.
Data Sources: Searches were conducted using Medline, IPA (International Pharmaceutical Abstracts), EMBASE, and MANTIS; databases such as Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Natural Standard, ALTMEDEX, and AltHealthWatch; and Google (range 1980 to September 2007). Search terms included energy drink, Red Bull, caffeine, glucose, ginseng, guarana, taurine, and bitter orange.
Data Synthesis: Most energy drinks contain natural products such as guarana, ginseng, and taurine. As much as 80 to 300 mg of caffeine and 35 grams of processed sugar per 8-ounce serving are commonly present in energy drinks such as Cocaine, Pimp Juice, Red Bull, and Spike Shooter. No reports were identified of negative effects associated with taurine, ginseng, and guarana used in the amounts found in most energy drinks. Commonly reported adverse effects seen with caffeine in the quantities present in most energy drinks are insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia. Four documented case reports of caffeine-associated deaths were found, as well as four separate cases of seizures associated with the consumption of energy drinks.
Conclusion: The amounts of guarana, taurine, and ginseng found in popular energy drinks are far below the amounts expected to deliver either therapeutic benefits or adverse events. However, caffeine and sugar are present in amounts known to cause a variety of adverse health effects.
From 1998 to 2003, the sale of energy drinks in the United states increased an estimated 465%. These products generated $5 billion in sales in 2006, with market leader Red Bull commanding 49% of all revenues. Teens and young adults make up a large portion of this market, as they accounted for almost $2.3 billion of product sales. One of the more recent energy drinks to target this demographic is Cocaine, which has drawn the ire of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA sent a warning letter about the claims on the product's Website to the company; the letter was also copied to the California Board of Pharmacy. After removing the drink from store shelves in the United States, the manufacturer has rebrand edit under the name No Name and reintroduced its product. The product is still marketed as Cocaine in Europe.
Many energy drinks, which are also considered as functional foods, are fortified beverages with added dietary supplements such as ginseng, guarana, and bitter orange. These drinks are aggressively marketed but are not always transparent in providing ingredient information and quantities on their labels. The promotion of natural ingredients in energy drinks to supply increased energy, increased alertness, and improved athletic performance leave the average consumer wondering if these claims deliver on their promise and prompt concern among health professionals regarding the negative health effects associated with these products.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Objective: To describe benefits and adverse effects associated with the consumption of energy drinks.
Data Sources: Searches were conducted using Medline, IPA (International Pharmaceutical Abstracts), EMBASE, and MANTIS; databases such as Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Natural Standard, ALTMEDEX, and AltHealthWatch; and Google (range 1980 to September 2007). Search terms included energy drink, Red Bull, caffeine, glucose, ginseng, guarana, taurine, and bitter orange.
Data Synthesis: Most energy drinks contain natural products such as guarana, ginseng, and taurine. As much as 80 to 300 mg of caffeine and 35 grams of processed sugar per 8-ounce serving are commonly present in energy drinks such as Cocaine, Pimp Juice, Red Bull, and Spike Shooter. No reports were identified of negative effects associated with taurine, ginseng, and guarana used in the amounts found in most energy drinks. Commonly reported adverse effects seen with caffeine in the quantities present in most energy drinks are insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia. Four documented case reports of caffeine-associated deaths were found, as well as four separate cases of seizures associated with the consumption of energy drinks.
Conclusion: The amounts of guarana, taurine, and ginseng found in popular energy drinks are far below the amounts expected to deliver either therapeutic benefits or adverse events. However, caffeine and sugar are present in amounts known to cause a variety of adverse health effects.
Introduction
From 1998 to 2003, the sale of energy drinks in the United states increased an estimated 465%. These products generated $5 billion in sales in 2006, with market leader Red Bull commanding 49% of all revenues. Teens and young adults make up a large portion of this market, as they accounted for almost $2.3 billion of product sales. One of the more recent energy drinks to target this demographic is Cocaine, which has drawn the ire of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA sent a warning letter about the claims on the product's Website to the company; the letter was also copied to the California Board of Pharmacy. After removing the drink from store shelves in the United States, the manufacturer has rebrand edit under the name No Name and reintroduced its product. The product is still marketed as Cocaine in Europe.
Many energy drinks, which are also considered as functional foods, are fortified beverages with added dietary supplements such as ginseng, guarana, and bitter orange. These drinks are aggressively marketed but are not always transparent in providing ingredient information and quantities on their labels. The promotion of natural ingredients in energy drinks to supply increased energy, increased alertness, and improved athletic performance leave the average consumer wondering if these claims deliver on their promise and prompt concern among health professionals regarding the negative health effects associated with these products.
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