Daily Health News Blog

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 promis