An “Energy” Glut

Typically marketed as dietary supplements, “energy drinks”—such as Red Bull, 5-Hour Energy, and Wired—are a fast-growing billion-dollar industry. Before you get buzzed, read on.

Energy drinks contain or claim to contain a variety of “energy boosters,” such as tyrosine, phenylalanine, taurine, and other chemicals. Many boast of antioxidants, “green-tea based energy,” and megadoses of B vitamins, as well as ginseng and other herbs. Some energy drinks are sugary, some peppery, some sugar-free. Some are sold as “shots” or “vials” to add some phony swagger.

But the only ingredient in energy drinks guaranteed to make you feel energetic or “wired” is the hefty dose of caffeine (or caffeine-containing ingredients such as yerba maté). Some supply two or three times as much caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee. A few are simply herbal cocktails, with the same claims but no caffeine.

These products are pitched at the young, who are consuming them in increasing amounts worldwide. They promise not only to provide “energy,” but also to boost libido and provide “a second wind” for all-night partying. One brand is promoted for “individuals who are ready to take risks, follow their passions, defy all odds.” If you are simply an exhausted adult faced with lots of mental or physical work, you may wonder if energy drinks could help you. The answer is not much—at least not more than coffee. There’s nothing wrong with a cup or two of coffee, but swallowing large amounts of concentrated caffeine can give you the jitters, upset your stomach, and bring on agitation and insomnia. The claim that vitamins or herbal cocktails are “energizing” is false. Vitamins and herbs do not give you energy.

A dangerous jolt?

One danger of energy drinks is that they may tempt a sleepy driver to keep on driving. Alcohol-infused caffeine drinks are even more dangerous. Caffeine does not keep blood alcohol levels from rising or counter its adverse effects, as ads may suggest. In fact, the caffeine masks the effects the effects of the alcohol, so people consuming them don’t know how intoxicated they are and may think they are capable of driving. Recently, the FDA warned several manufacturers of alcohol energy drinks to stop selling their products or reformulate them, calling the caffeine an illegal additive.

Bottom line: If you need a quick lift, coffee or tea are better choices than energy drinks. If you are too tired to drive, take a rest. If you have teenagers in your household, try to steer them away from these products.