Energy Drinks Research Paper

Red Bull Does NOT Give You Wings

Have you ever needed a “pick me up,” a boost of energy due to your lack of sleep from the previous night? This is actually a very common problem for people in the United States due to how busy life can get. In these modern towns and cities people often find themselves suffering from sleep deprivation. Whether it be from working the night shift, going out, or even tending to a screaming child at four in the morning. Lack of sleep can make it difficult for someone just to keep their eyes open, let alone complete necessary daily tasks. U.S. consumers seeking an immediate solution for this problem often rely on energy drinks. Energy drinks have been around for over 50 years now and are known to increase production.  People consuming energy drinks however, are often oblivious to their full effects. However, just recently, consumers have begun to question the real effects that come from these adrenaline boosters and have started to wonder what they are actually putting in their bodies.

Energy drinks are consumed to essentially “wake” the user up and give them the boost that they need. Some people prefer to resort to coffee instead, but energy drinks are much more convenient to buy and consume as well as the tons of different flavors to choose from. Energy drinks such as Monster and Red Bull provide more stimulation than just one cup of coffee. Therefore, having a stronger impact on users and better results when it comes to staying alert and focused. The energy drink industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, that is well advertised with interesting, often extreme commercials as well as unique can designs, that often spark people’s interest and curiosity to test out their product, especially young adolescents. There are a variety of justifications for why consumers use energy drinks. After a long work day, it is easy for people to become fatigued and grow tired. However, not everyone has time to rest, people have other matters to tend to such as their families or sports. Athletes tend to consume energy drinks in hope to improve their performance even though it has not yet been established as a proven fact. Energy drinks also offer a safer alternative way to enhance brain performance compared to other stimulants. Drugs such as Adderall, Vyvanse, and Ritalin are used to help people focus and complete tasks more efficiently. However, these are in fact prescription drugs and are not available to obtain legally without one, and with good reason. These stimulants have far worse negative effects on people and it is a lot easier to develop an addiction to them. In this case, people use energy drinks instead because they are the lesser of the two evils. This especially applies to college students, who undergo a lot of stress and often don’t get enough sleep. Energy drinks help them reenergize, making it easier to focus, complete assignments, and make deadlines. In fact, in a survey conducted to access consumption patterns of 496 randomly selected students that attend a state university in the Central Atlantic region of the U.S., 253(51%) of them reported that they consumed greater than one energy drink a month on average. (Miller) Consumption of these drinks raises even more, to an all-time high in college towns when it comes to exam week. Whether it’s mid-terms or finals, college students use these drinks to help them better their focus while studying, allowing them to review the course content and if needed, do last-minute cramming of the required information.

Energy drinks vary, containing different types and quantities of ingredients. Therefore, they do not all have the same effect. Differences in weight, age, personal biology, habitual intake, and medications taken are also are contributing factors to the effect that the user gets from these energy drinks. There are also many components in energy drinks, each of which contribute to the brain's stimulation. However, some of these ingredients can be quite dangerous. Energy drink usage ultimately can be problematic due to it’s the effects that come from these combination of components as well as when it is mixed with alcohol. However, due to the ignorance of these effects, people continue to consume these drinks on a normal basis.

Energy drinks contain the single most commonly used drug in the world, caffeine.  Caffeine is a mild stimulant that is consumed all the time to improve the ability of the central nervous system. Recognized as “safe” by the FDA, caffeine is used by 87% of adults and 73% of children on a daily basis. (Harvanko) People use it compensate for lack of sleep and to increase sharpness. Caffeine can be naturally found in plant products such as tea leaves and coffee beans but are also found in synthetic things such as energy drinks. Caffeine has no nutritional value, but it does affect the human body in numerous ways. Reactions received from caffeine can vary from person to person. Therefore, some people can take in more caffeine than others without experiencing the negative effects. The FDA may have said that it is safe to consume, but only in moderation. If too much caffeine is consumed in a certain period of time, it can result in dizziness, increased thirst, diarrhea, heart attacks and in the worst cases even death. In fact, there even is a recommended daily amount that should not be exceeded which is 500mg for healthy adults. (Sepkowitz) This number may seem like a lot and difficult to overdose, however energy drinks contain caffeine in extreme amounts which eventually will add up. For instance, a 12oz can of Red Bull contains 96.4mg of caffeine, compared to a 12oz can of coke which contains a mere 29.5mg. (McCusker) Therefore, high amounts of caffeine can be taken in easily when it comes to drinking energy drinks, making overdose more likely. In fact, there have many instances in which individuals have consumed too much caffeine from these energy drinks and either had to be hospitalized or passed away. One example would have to be Michael Clarke. Michael was a truck driver who passed away January 30, 2014 due to a massive heart attack. Michael relied on at least four energy drinks a day in order to awake and alert at the wheel. At first the cause of the heart attack was unknown, however, autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was indeed due to caffeine toxicity which he had received from consuming those energy drinks. (Smith)

Energy drinks contain large amounts of sugars.  In fact, most of them contain more sugar than the recommended daily amount. It is encouraged not even consume more than 3-4 teaspoons for children, 5 teaspoons for women, and 8-9 teaspoons for men a day. ("Be a Sugar Detective.")  However, energy drinks often contain up to three times this such as a 16oz serving of Rockstar which contains 30g of sugar. (Heneman) Consuming more than this recommended amount can result in a sugar rush, normally lasting for two hours or so. However, when it wears off it can result in a sugar crash. Users say that these sugar crashes make them feel even more tired and have also even been compared to a hangover. Sugar crashes are triggered due to the consumption of these large amounts of carbohydrates. These crashes can cause several side effects, including headaches, anxiety, irritation, and hunger. These side effects can however, be treated and reversed by exercise, proper dieting by including complex carbohydrates, and also by slowing the digestive process, therefore making it take longer for sugars to be absorbed into the body. Consuming too much sugar can also cause insulin resistance. In other words, the insulin produced in the body is not used effectively. Due to insulin resistance, the glucose in the body also tends to build up in the blood, instead of being absorbed by the cells. This ultimately can lead to prediabetes and can even develop to type 2 diabetes. ("Prediabetes and Insulin Resistance.")