Can Energy Drinks Damage Your Body?

Keeping your mind sharp and alert is a priority during certain times like final exams, a long road trip or an important business meeting. Energy drinks may seem to help you focus but the habitual use of energy drinks poses health risks that may overshadow any apparent benefits.

Energy Drink Ingredients

The term "energy drink" was coined by the beverage industry and refers to a genre of beverages characterized by high caffeine and sugar content, along with other varying ingredients such as B-vitamins, guarana, amino acids and sometimes alcohol. A typical serving of an energy drink contains 72 to 150 mg of caffeine. A large bottle may contain two or more servings, more than doubling the caffeine content. Consumption of up to 400 mg of caffeine daily is considered safe for healthy adults. For adolescents, intakes of over 100 mg per day has been associated with elevated blood pressure, according to nutrition scientists at the University of California Davis. Because energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements, they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Health Hazzards

A review of research on energy drinks conducted by scientists from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the University of Queensland in Australia, and published in the November 2010 "Mayo Clinic Proceedings," revealed some unsavory findings. The report cited documented incidents of seizures and death in otherwise healthy young people, highlighting the cardiac arrest of a young motocross racer and the death of an 18-year-old basketball player after consuming energy drinks.

Alcoholic Energy Drinks

An even more dangerous version of energy drinks, sometimes referred to as "blackout in a can," adds alcohol to the mix. A typical alcoholic energy drink has a 12 percent alcohol content, versus 4 or 5 percent found in beer, according to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, or MLCC. Thomas Gould, associate professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, explains that caffeine can reduce the sedative effects of alcohol, allowing someone to drink for a longer period of time without feeling intoxicated. Gould also points out that both caffeine and alcohol increase levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with a feeling of reward common in drug abuse. Nutritionists at UC Davis note that the combination of alcohol and caffeine can cause dehydration, increasing the risk of cardiac problems.

Legal Backlash

Because of the potential dangers of energy drinks, there is a growing demand for legal intervention. University of Texas exercise physiologist Troy Tuttle works with college athletes, many of whom use energy drinks. Tuttle expresses concern over the long term effects of energy drinks on liver and cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes. Tuttle is encouraging FDA regulation of the drinks. Central Washington University and other colleges banned alcoholic energy drinks from campus in October, 2010, when nine underaged students were hospitalized after consuming the beverages at a party. In December 2010, the MLCC banned the sale of all alcoholic energy drinks in the state of Michigan. Oklahoma has passed a similar law, and several other states are considering legislation.