Why Are Energy Drinks Bad for You? Health Risks Explained

What Are Energy Drinks?

Energy drinks are beverages that are promoted as energy boosters. They claim to enhance both mental alertness and physical performance. However, studies supporting these claims are limited. In fact, consumption of energy drinks can lead to several adverse health effects, especially at high doses.

Popularity Among Different Age Groups

Energy drinks are very popular among American teens and young adults. The highest consumption rate is among men between 18 and 34, and about one-third of teenagers between 12 and 17 drink them regularly.

Energy drinks are widely available at grocery and convenience stores. Sales of energy drinks in the U.S. grew by 73% between 2018 and 2023, with brands like Red Bull, Monster, and Celsius dominating the energy drink market. Red Bull alone racked up sales of over $7 billion in 2023.

Common Ingredients in Energy Drinks

Most energy drinks contain caffeine and sugar. These are the two main ingredients responsible for the extra boost of energy provided by these beverages.

Other common ingredients in many energy drink brands include guarana, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, acai, yerba mate, L-carnitine, maltodextrin, inositol, creatine, methylxanthines, taurine, green tea extract, glucuronolactone, and B vitamins.

Many energy drinks are marketed as dietary supplements. However, there is limited data on the adverse effects and safety profile of the herbal supplements in these beverages.

How Many Milligrams of Caffeine Are in Energy Drinks?

Energy drinks contain anywhere from 80 mg to 150 mg of caffeine in an 8-ounce serving. However, it’s important to note that many energy drinks come in 16 fluid ounce bottles, so they contain double the amount of caffeine. There aren’t any legal limits on the caffeine content of these beverages. Therefore, the amount of caffeine in an energy drink can vary widely—a 50-mL energy shot could contain anywhere from 50 mg to 500 mg of caffeine.

Experts recommend that healthy adults consume no more than 400 mg of caffeine a day from all sources. In moderate amounts, caffeine can enhance mental alertness and give you an energy boost. However, too much caffeine can cause short-term side effects like headache, insomnia, jitteriness, muscle tremors, fast heartbeat, and frequent urination.

That’s why it’s important to read labels for the caffeine content of energy drinks. This way, you can track how much caffeine you are consuming on a daily basis.

How Much Sugar Do Energy Drinks Contain?

Most energy drink products contain added sugars, as much as 25-28 grams per serving. The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 25 grams of added sugar daily and that men consume no more than 36 grams. Consuming too much-added sugar is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and many other chronic health problems.

Health Risks: Why Are Energy Drinks Harmful?

Blood Pressure and Heart Health

Studies have found that energy drink consumption is associated with increased heart rate, high blood pressure, and narrowing of blood vessels. Scientists believe these effects are due to the excess caffeine content in energy drinks. There are also reports of heart rhythm abnormalities and heart attacks related to overconsumption of energy drinks.

Neurological and Psychological Effects

Consuming energy drinks can lead to headaches, insomnia, restlessness, poor sleep, anxiety, and a depressed mood due to the high caffeine content. These are the symptoms of caffeine intoxication associated with caffeine doses of 200 mg or more.

Caffeine consumption in adolescents has also been linked to misconduct and violent behaviors. Additionally, scientists have found links between high caffeine energy drink consumption and neurological conditions such as epileptic seizures, hallucinations, and stroke. While these neurological adverse effects are not common, there are case reports, especially with high intake of energy drinks. Other ingredients in energy drinks, such as guarana and taurine, have also been found to promote cell death of nerve cells.

Digestive Problems

The high sugar content of energy drinks can reduce the diversity and activity of healthy gut bacteria. This can lead to an imbalance between good and bad bacteria in the gut, causing increased gut permeability and leading to potential issues such as gut inflammation and increased burden on the immune system.

Impact on Weight and Metabolic Health

Many energy drinks contain large amounts of added sugar in the form of glucose, sucrose, or high fructose corn syrup. Therefore, daily consumption of these beverages can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In addition, excess caffeine and sugar intake has been linked to decreased insulin sensitivity, which can lead to a rise in blood glucose levels.

Effects on the Kidneys

The caffeine in energy drinks increases the amount of urine made by the kidneys. Therefore, consumption of energy drinks in a hot environment or during prolonged or intense exercise can lead to dehydration. There are case reports of kidney injury related to daily intake of energy drinks for 2-3 weeks.

Dental Erosion

Studies have found a strong link between energy drink consumption and dental erosion (loss of tooth enamel). This is attributed to the high sugar content and low pH (acidity) of these beverages. In addition, researchers have found that energy drink intake can lead to sensitive teeth (dental pain on exposure to hot, cold, or acidic foods).

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Specific Concerns for Different Demographics

Risks for Teens and Young Adults

Energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, added sugars, and additives, including other stimulants such as taurine, guarana, and L-carnitine.

While stimulants in energy drinks can increase alertness and enhance physical performance in young people, they also pose serious health concerns, including harmful effects on the heart and brain.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends children and adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age consume less than 100 mg of caffeine a day. Notably, many energy drinks contain 100-200 mg of caffeine in a single serving, exceeding the daily recommendation from the AAP.

Considerations for Athletes

Energy drinks are marketed as dietary supplements with health benefits that can enhance athletic performance. Caffeine and taurine are the two ingredients that have been widely studied for their health benefits in different sports.

Evidence suggests that consumption of energy drinks may improve sporting performance. However, there are risks, including cardiovascular problems due to high blood pressure and increased heart rate, disruptions in sleep, which can affect reaction time, and dependence and addictive behaviors.

Athletes should be aware of the potential dangers of consuming beverages with a high caffeine content. In particular, athletes should know that energy drinks can cause dehydration and loss of electrolytes, such as sodium in urine. This can affect cardiovascular performance and muscle strength during exercise.

It’s important for athletes to understand the differences between energy drinks and sports drinks. Sports drinks contain fluid and electrolytes to replace what is lost through sweating.

Risks in Pregnant Women

Doctors recommend avoiding energy drinks during pregnancy. These beverages not only have high levels of caffeine and added sugar but also many other ingredients that could be potentially harmful to the mother and baby.

Common Questions and Misconceptions About Consuming Energy Drinks

Are Sugar-Free Energy Drinks Safe?

Some sugar-free energy drinks contain artificial sweeteners and may be a healthier alternative to energy drinks with added sugar. However, they are not without risks. Many of the harmful effects of energy drinks are due to their caffeine content or other additives. Therefore, it is best to consume sugar-free energy drinks in moderation.

Are Caffeine-Free Energy Drinks Bad For You?

Non-caffeinated energy drinks may still be bad for you due to their added sugar content and other additives. However, if you are trying to stay within the recommended 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, then caffeine-free energy drinks may be a good alternative.

How Bad is One Energy Drink A Day?

It is okay to drink one energy drink a day, provided you stay within the recommended intake levels for caffeine (400 mg per day) and added sugar (25 grams and 36 grams per day for women and men, respectively). The occasional consumption of energy drinks by healthy adults is likely not harmful.

Energy Drinks vs. Other Caffeinated Beverages

Here is the average caffeine content in milligrams (mg) of common caffeinated beverages:

16-ounce bottle of energy drink: 70-240 mg
2-ounce energy shot: 115-215 mg
8 ounces of brewed coffee: 96 mg
8 ounces of instant coffee: 62 mg
1-ounce espresso: 64 mg
8 ounces of brewed or instant decaf: 2 mg
8 ounces of brewed black tea: 47 mg
8 ounces of brewed green tea: 28 mg
8 ounces of bottled iced tea: 19 mg
8-ounce can of cola: 22 mg

Can You Mix Whiskey with Red Bull?

You should not mix alcoholic beverages such as whiskey with energy drinks such as Red Bull. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that teens and young adults who mix alcohol with energy drinks are 4 times more likely to binge drink, have unprotected sex, be caught driving drunk, and sustain alcohol-related injuries. About 4 out of 10 emergency department visits related to energy drink consumption involved combining these beverages with alcohol, drugs such as marijuana, or over-the-counter and prescription medications.

What's The Safest Energy Drink?

Red Bull and Bolt24 may be among the safest energy drinks to consume in moderation. They are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means they actually contain what they say on the label.

One 250 mL or 8.4 fluid ounce can of Red Bull Original has 75 milligrams of caffeine and 28 grams of added sugar for 110 calories, as well as B vitamins and amino acids like taurine.

One 500 mL or 16.9 fluid ounce bottle of Bolt24 (made by Gatorade) has 75 milligrams of caffeine and 9 grams of added sugar for 40 calories, as well as vitamins A and C and electrolytes from natural sources like sea salt and watermelon.

Most adults can safely drink a cup of black or green tea for a quick fix when energy levels are low. Tea contains moderate doses of caffeine along with some health benefits from antioxidants and flavonoids.

It’s also safe to drink coffee in moderation. However, keep an eye on how much caffeine you are consuming overall. Rather than a double espresso shot, choose a plain cup of coffee with a splash of skim milk and a teaspoon of sugar to keep your caffeine intake in check.

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Healthy Alternatives to Energy Drinks

Natural Energy Boosters: Exercise, Hydration, and Sleep

Regular physical activity can help to build strength and improve physical performance and energy levels.

Dehydration can leave you feeling tired. Proper hydration is, therefore, essential to increase energy. Hydration also has a range of other beneficial health effects.

Experts recommend 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night for adults to maintain energy levels, intellectual function, and mood.

Dietary Changes for Sustained Energy

Eating smaller, more frequent meals and choosing minimally processed foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and healthy fats can help to sustain energy throughout the day.

The Bottom Line

Summary of Health Risks

Serious health effects linked to overconsumption of energy drinks include dehydration, insomnia, headaches, jitteriness, nervousness, anxiety, heart complications, obesity, diabetes, and poor dental health.

Excessive consumption of energy drinks has also been linked to serious health complications such as irregular heartbeat, convulsions, and even death. Most of these risks are linked to high levels of caffeine and added sugars in energy drinks.

Guidelines for Safe Consumption

The CDC recommends that children and teenagers should avoid energy drinks altogether. For most healthy adults, an occasional energy drink for a quick boost of energy is likely safe. However, mindlessly gulping down one can of energy drink after another can lead to serious health problems. It’s also worth noting that energy drinks don’t have many proven health benefits.

Exercising caution is highly recommended if you have pre-existing health conditions. You should check with your healthcare provider before consuming any energy drink.

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