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The market for energy drinks is continually expanding, which is not surprising given that the demand has grown immensely since 1997 when Red Bull was introduced in the United States. Roland Griffiths, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and author of a study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, estimates that the market now totals at least $5.4 billion a year (Doheny). These popular drinks are packed with caffeine, a stimulant that is able to freely diffuse into the brain and temporarily increase alertness. Although the Food and Drug Administration places a limit on how much caffeine food products can contain—71 milligrams for each 12-ounce can—energy drinks are considered to be dietary supplements and not food products, therefore allowing caffeine content in these drinks to remain unregulated (Roan).

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As a result, hundreds of brands of energy drinks with ridiculous amounts of caffeine not specified on labels flourish in the market. Furthermore, marketers intentionally target teenagers who are more susceptible to drinking multiple cans because they tend to live active lifestyles that leave them sleep deprived. It’s no wonder that “[t]hirty-one percent of U.S. teenagers say they drink energy drinks,” according to Simmons Research. “That represents 7.6 million teens” (“Teens”). With the increase in the usage of energy drinks and the failure to post caffeine content and warning labels on cans, emergency room doctors and poison control centers are reporting more cases of caffeine intoxication. I agree with Dr. Griffiths and the other authors of the Johns Hopkins study that energy drink manufacturers should clearly indicate the amount of caffeine on labels and shift marketing efforts away from teenagers.

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All energy drinks list caffeine as an ingredient on labels, but many don’t specify how many milligrams of caffeine are present. The truth is some brands like “Wired” and “Fixx” have 500 mg of caffeine per 20-oz serving, about 10 times the caffeine found in cans of soda. In addition, another ingredient called guarana is a source of a similar substance that adds to the danger of the high caffeine content. According to Nancy Shute, in her article “Over the Limit?,” unsuspecting teens who crave a buzz by drinking several cans of energy drinks are putting themselves at risk for the irregular heartbeat and nausea associated with caffeine intoxication. In rare cases, as shown by 19-year-old James Stone, who took “two dozen caffeine pills for putting in long hours on a job search” (Shute), intoxication may even lead to death by cardiac arrest.

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It is possible to promote responsible consumption of energy drinks by including possible health hazards along with caffeine content on can labels that encourage drinking in moderation. The reason such warning labels don’t already exist could be because marketers are more concerned with money than with the health of consumers. “Vying for the dollars of teenagers with promises of weight loss, increased endurance and legal high . . . top-sellers Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar . . . make up a $3.4 billion-a-year industry that grew by 80 percent last year” (“Teens”). By warning about the possible health hazards of drinking too much caffeine, manufacturers of energy drinks risk a decrease in purchases. Maureen Storey, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, argues that “most mainstream energy drinks contain the same amount of caffeine, or even less, than you’d get in a cup of brewed coffee. If labels listing caffeine content are required on energy drinks, they should also be required on coffeehouse coffee” (Doheny). This argument has some validity, but it fails to include ingredients in energy drinks such as guarana that function as a hidden source of caffeine. Guarana is a berry that grows in Venezuela and contains a high amount of guaranine, a substance that has the same properties as caffeine. Assuming that energy drinks and coffee have the same amount of caffeine, the risk of caffeine intoxication from energy drinks is much higher because of the guaranine.

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It is obvious that marketers are taking advantage of teens and encouraging them to drink more with attractive brand names such as Rockstar, Monster, and Cocaine Energy Drink that promise to enhance performance. One reason marketers target teenagers instead of a more mature age group may be that teens are more easily tricked by claims that energy drinks will increase endurance and mental awareness. Also, teens are often out partying late at night, as compared to an adult who recognizes the importance of a good night’s sleep. It’s no surprise that marketers are targeting exhausted teenagers who are more likely to purchase these drinks than an adult who makes sure he is in bed by 10 p.m.

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However, marketers fail to realize the consequences of such marketing techniques. A study led by Dr. Danielle McCarthy of Northwestern University showed “a surprising number of caffeine overdose reports to a Chicago poison control center” (“Teens”). “Although adults of all ages are known to use caffeine, it is mainly abused by young adults who want to stay awake or even get high,” McCarthy said (“Study”).

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Preteens are getting hooked on caffeine as well: “A 2003 study of Columbus, Ohio, middle schoolers found some taking in 800 milligrams of caffeine a day—more than twice the recommended maximum for adults of 300 milligrams” (Shute). The problem for preteens is especially dire because “‘their body weight is low,’ says Wahida Karmally, the director of nutrition for the Irving Center for Clinical Research at Columbia University Medical Center” (qtd. in Shute). Researchers do not know how such high levels of caffeine consumption affect the child’s developing body.

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Manufacturers argue that marketing to teenagers and preteens is perfectly fine because energy drinks can be part of a balanced lifestyle when consumed sensibly. While convincing, this argument does not demonstrate a clear understanding of the scope of the problem. If a student drinks an energy drink while studying at night and can’t sleep because of it, he might drink another in the morning to help wake up. According to Richard Levine, a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Penn State University College of Medicine and chief of the division of adolescent medicine and eating disorders at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, “too much caffeine can make it harder to nod off, even when you’re tired. Then you risk falling into a vicious cycle of insomnia caused by energy drinks followed by more caffeine to wake up” (Seltzer). Those who fall into this cycle become addicted to energy drinks and this addiction threatens the very idea of sensible consumption. For example, 15-year-old Eric Williams explained that he “used to drink two to four energy drinks a day, and sometimes used them to stay awake to finish a big homework project.” The headaches he got when he didn’t drink them convinced him to quit “although it took him two weeks” to break the habit (Seltzer). Teens shouldn’t rely on energy boosters to achieve a balanced lifestyle; they should learn time management and get into the habit of a good night’s sleep every day.

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It should now be clear that energy drink manufacturers are intentionally targeting a younger audience. Brand names, appealing promises of enhanced performance, and failure to post clear warning labels have allowed the energy drink market to grow into a billion-dollar industry. Although manufacturers are enjoying profits, consumers are placing themselves at risk for serious health problems associated with caffeine intoxication. The most susceptible to intoxication are teenagers who either drink to delay exhaustion or to get a buzz. Caffeine content and overdose warnings must be placed on cans in order to make teens aware of the potential dangers of drinking too much.

Works Cited

Doheny, Kathleen. “Energy Drinks: Hazardous to Your Health?” Health & Cooking. WebMD. 24 Sept. 2008. Web. 22 Mar. 2010.

Roan, Shari. “Energy Drinks Can Cause Caffeine Intoxication.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 28 Sept. 2008. Web. 22 Mar. 2010.

Seltzer, Rick. “Heavy Use of Energy Drinks Can Threaten Teens’ Health.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 27 Aug. 2008. Web. 16 Jan. 2009.

Shute, Nancy. “Over the Limit?” U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, 15 Apr. 2007. Web. 16 Jan. 2009.

“Study: More People Abusing, Getting ‘High’ on Caffeine.” FoxNews. Fox News, 24 Feb. 2009. Web. 24 Feb. 2009.

“Teens Abusing Energy Boosting Drinks, Doctors Fear.” FoxNews. Fox News, 31 Oct. 2006. Web. 16 Feb. 2009.