Full Throttle. Rockstar. Monster Energy. Spike. Wired X505. Red Bull. Amp. Fixx. No Fear. Cocaine (Cocaine?). What do they all have in common? No, they’re not names of monster trucks or wrestlers from SmackDown. Rather, they’re the names of popular energy drinks that have blasted their way into the beverage market.
Usually containing much more caffeine than soda, tea, or coffee, these drinks are marketed towards teens and young adults and are often promoted in conjunction with sporting events, such as extreme skiing, motorsports, and skateboarding. Undoubtedly, though, these drinks also have appeal for those of any age who need their caffeine fix but shy away from coffee or tea. (For more about coffee, see “Summertime Thirst Quenchers: More Than You Bargained For [Part 1],” and for more about tea, see “Summertime Thirst Quenchers: More Than You Bargained For [Part 2].”)
I admit that I’ve never taken even a sip of any of these beverages — maybe it’s the names that scare me off, or maybe it’s the caffeine content of some of these, which is more than I want to handle. How many of you drink these or have tried them? What did you think?
As the names imply, these sugar-laden energy drinks boast a hefty dose of caffeine. Some contain taurine, too, an amino acid needed for neurological development. Taurine is thought to boost athletic performance, increase alertness, and strengthen heart muscle, although studies have not confirmed these effects. So, combine taurine with caffeine (which acts as a stimulant) and sugar (which gives a quick, but temporary, surge in energy) and you’ve got yourself an energy drink.
As if that wasn’t enough, some of these beverages additionally contain herbal stimulants, such as guarana, ginseng, and yerba mate. You might be thinking, well, so what? Isn’t drinking a can of Red Bull or Full Throttle just like drinking a can of Coca-Cola? Not necessarily. Check out the caffeine comparison, below. (Nutrition information has been obtained from the manufacturer’s Web sites, Mayo Clinic, and the Nutrition Action newsletter.):
Select Energy Drinks: Caffeine Content
Full Throttle: 144 milligrams per 16-ounce can
Monster Energy: 160 milligrams per 16-ounce can
Red Bull: 76 milligrams per 8.3-ounce can
Rockstar: 160 milligrams per 16-ounce can
Rockstar Punched: 360 milligrams per 24-ounce can
Wired X505: 505 milligrams per 23.5-ounce can
Coffee, Tea, Soda: Caffeine Content
Brewed Black Tea: 47 milligrams per 8-ounce can
Brewed Coffee: 102–220 milligrams per 8-ounce cup
Coca-Cola Classic: 35 milligrams per 12-ounce can
Diet Coke: 47 milligrams per 12-ounce can
Diet Pepsi: 35 milligrams per 12-ounce can
Mountain Dew: 54 milligrams per 12-ounce can
Snapple Diet Ice Tea: 18 milligrams per 16-ounce bottle
Starbucks Coffee Grande: 330 milligrams per 16-ounce cup
OK, Starbucks Coffee Grande gives some of the energy drinks a run for their money — in terms of caffeine, that is. But obviously, energy drinks tend to contain more than other common caffeinated beverages. And drink more than one or two cans per day, as many people do, and you can quickly go into caffeine overload.
What are the risks of these energy drinks? A study published earlier this year in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy found that healthy, young adults who drank two cans of an energy drink each day for five consecutive days had increases in blood pressure and heart rate, which the researchers attributed to both caffeine and taurine. (The subjects were sedentary throughout the study.) While the increases were not considered significant, the findings could prove dangerous to people who have high blood pressure or heart disease.
Reports of teenagers becoming ill from drinking energy drinks have been in the news. Many of them have ended up in the emergency room with symptoms including heart palpitations, sweating, nausea, and caffeine intoxication. (Granted, many teenagers are not known for doing things on a small scale, so it’s likely that they consumed several cans of these drinks.)
Other possible health effects of energy drinks include the following:
- Restlessness and irritability
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Dehydration
- Weight gain
Why weight gain? With the exception of a few sugar-free versions, these drinks contain calories and carbohydrate. For example, one 8.3-ounce serving of Red Bull contains 113 calories and 28 grams of carbohydrate; one 8-ounce serving of Monster Energy has 100 calories and 27 grams of carbohydrate; and one 8-ounce serving of Original Rockstar Energy has 140 calories and 31 grams of carbohydrate.
I personally really like the Sugar Free Red Bull. I find that it does gets me over a mid/late afternoon slump, with no effect on BS. I think it works better than coffee or tea. And one a day is my limit. And maybe something else would break my slump, but, I love Sugar Free Red Bull.
Posted by Janet Schmidt | Aug 20, 2009 at 10:35 amI too drink the sugar free versions of energy drinks without an increase in blood sugar level. I love ENVIGA, a green tea beverage. Beats having a Venti White Chocolate Mocha (about 75g carbs) everyday!
Posted by Jennifer Driscoll Marron | Aug 21, 2009 at 8:44 amDoes anyone else look at this and go wow… for 16 oz of Brewed coffee… beats almost all energy drinks at the same amount.
Select Energy Drinks: Caffeine Content
Full Throttle: 144 milligrams per 16-ounce can
Monster Energy: 160 milligrams per 16-ounce can
Red Bull: 76 milligrams per 8.3-ounce can
Rockstar: 160 milligrams per 16-ounce can
Coffee, Tea, Soda: Caffeine Content
Brewed Coffee: 102–220 milligrams per 8-ounce cup
Starbucks Coffee Grande: 330 milligrams per 16-ounce cup
So that’s 204-440 milligrams of caffeine in 16-ounce cup. How many cups do people normally consume? But only starbucks Coffee Grande gives energy drinks a run for their money?? I like my coffee and my energy drinks. No one should over do any of those thngs… especially you that person nodding your head while chugging your second 24 oz bottle of soda… lol.
Posted by Jo | Sep 23, 2009 at 2:14 pmI agree, I drink a lot of sugar free red bull, usually one in the morning, and try not to have any after 4pm. I picked it because the can was small and it was sugar free. At first it tasted awful, but it was really concentrated so it didn’t take long to drink. I hate coffee, so this is my caffeine.
Posted by remaai | Sep 26, 2009 at 6:21 pmyeah, energy drinks are soooo evil! they have caffeine AND B-vitamins in them, I mean, the health consequences of consuming caffeine and B-vitamins are so terrible, I wonder why anyone would ever go near any of these toxic substances!!!! caffeine is a poison that no one should ever put in their body!!! if you are tired, tough! you have to deal with it without any help because anyone who touches the poison that we call caffeine will quickly face their own mortality and die!!!!!
Posted by Dan | Sep 29, 2009 at 4:28 amHi Dan,
I thank you for your thoughtful comment. I’m not sure the implication is that energy drinks are evil. But drink a number of these beverages on a daily basis, perhaps in addition to one’s morning coffee or tea, and it’s possible that the caffeine and/or level of B vitamins can be harmful to some. Too much caffeine can cause heart palpitatons, nausea, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, and depression. An excess of the B vitamins can lead to a variety of ailments, including numbness, paralysis, cardiac problems, low blood pressure, headache, and weakness.
Posted by acampbell | Oct 05, 2009 at 1:39 pm