Guzzling stimulant-spiked energy drinks may be a popular practice for young adults. Despite warnings from health professionals, it seems that consumers of all ages may not be aware of the potential dangers associated with these easily accessible drinks. Here’s what you need to know about energy drinks, the controversy surrounding them and what some states are doing to help improve regulatory practices for dietary supplements like energy drinks.
According to industry data, the energy drink market racked up $193 million worldwide in 2023, with future projections continuing to grow to $240 million in 2027. A study published in 2020 indicated that both middle and high school students in the U.S. not only consume energy drinks frequently, but kids that do are more likely to use other substances including tobacco, cannabis, alcohol and opioids. According to researchers, middle school aged children may be even more vulnerable than high school students.
Kids and parents alike may be under the impression that because energy drinks are widely available, don’t require an ID to purchase and are endorsed by celebrities and athletes, that they must be safe to drink. However, many of these drinks are classified as dietary supplements and not closely regulated or monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As such, most energy drinks are not subject to regulation on safety, efficacy or label accuracy.
One way to tell whether a product has been regulated by the FDA is its label. Supplements (that is, not FDA-monitored) have a “Supplement Facts” label, whereas products with “Nutrition Facts” labels have gone through steps to qualify as an FDA-regulated beverage. While FDA regulation does not always guarantee safety, the ingredients listed on the label should be accurate.
There is no one-size-fits-all energy drink recipe, but most contain high amounts of caffeine and other stimulants, with many equating to that of several cups of coffee. Taking high doses of stimulants can result in side effects such as stomach upset, sleep disturbances, elevated heart rate, increased anxiety and jitteriness.
Most brands offer versions sweetened with high amounts of sugar as well as diet or zero-sugar varieties with artificial sweeteners. Some energy drinks also include excessively high doses of vitamins and minerals, which may lead to toxic side effects when consumed in large amounts. Each year, consumption of these dangerous combinations leads to emergency room visits and hospitalizations, with most patients ranging in age from 18 to 24 years.
Questioning the safety of energy drinks is not a new practice for many parents and medical professionals. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children and teens avoid consumption. The National Federation of State High School Associations issued the Position Statement and Recommendations for The Use of Energy Drinks by Young Athletes where it specifies the various dangers of energy drinks for student-athletes who often confuse energy drinks for hydrating sports drinks (they are not the same), or even mix them with alcohol.
While dietary supplements remain loosely regulated by federal statutes, individual states are beginning to take action to better regulate the sales of some supplements. Newly enacted legislation in New York now prohibits the sale of diet pills, and those that are marketed for weight loss and fat burning. Retailers can be fined for selling to minors, but it is unclear how well this can be enforced, especially for online retailers.
Concerns over safety from Connecticut middle schoolers lead to legislation that has just passed in the House of Representatives. The bill created a working group of medical experts charged with exploring if there should be tighter reigns on energy drink sales to kids. Other states including South Carolina and Colorado are working towards similar efforts to limit supplement sales to minors.
