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Destin Estrela
Humanities - 1/2
19 May 2014
Effects of Energy Drinks on Teens

From 2004 to 2012, the FDA received reports about five deaths that have been linked to
drinking Monster Energy drinks (Are Monster Energy). Energy drinks are sweet beverages
that teenagers use for a boost of energy. They are linked to a number of health problems
including caffeine addiction, heart problems, insomnia, and even death, due to unregulated
labelling and marketing (Seirfert). Because energy drinks are unregulated and easily accessed by
teens, they are consumed in bulk by a large population of teenagers, leading to an excessive
number of negative effects plaguing young adults all throughout America. In order to solve this
problem, teenagers must be made aware of the risks of drinking energy drinks and the
ingredients inside them.
Teens drink energy drinks for a few reasons, including marketing that is directed towards
teens that show energy drinks in a positive way or because of peer pressure from their friends.
Some teenagers may find themselves wanting to drink energy drinks due to advertising by
companies. For instance, Pimp Juice, Full Throttle, Rock Star, Monster Energy, Rage, Cocaine,
Red Bull -- these are some of the high-powered energy drinks being marketed to young adults.
The web sites for these products are full of images of macho lifestyles. They promote beverages
containing ingredients that sound scientific, but may be unfamiliar to many
consumers(Zelman). This quote highlights that one of the major reasons teens drink energy
drinks is because of the images and videos of ideal life styles that will result from consuming this
beverage. The imagery used to promote these drinks cause teens to think that they will be
stronger or healthier, not bothering to consider the true nature of the ingredients within these


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beverages and the negative effects they may have on teens bodies. Yet, this is not the only
reason to explain why teenagers consume energy drinks. Some teens will drink energy drinks
simply because a lot of their friends regularly consume them, making them feel coaxed into
doing the same. For example, One study found that 28% of 12- to 14-year-olds, 31% of 12- to
17-year olds, and 34% of 18- to 24-year-olds reported regularly consuming energy drinks
(Seifert). This quote shows that a large number of teenagers and young adults ingest energy
drinks on a regular basis. The prevalence of energy drinks in teen culture and the peer pressure
from their friends who are already drinking them cause even more teens to also try these
beverages and eventually become a regular consumer. There are many different reasons
teenagers will drink energy drinks, however focused marketing and peer pressure are two of the
main causes.
Energy drinks have harmful effects on teenagers. Teenagers who drink energy drinks are
at risk to a number of health problems due to the unregulated amount of caffeine found within
them. For example, Although healthy people can tolerate caffeine in moderation, heavy caffeine
consumption, such as drinking energy drinks, has been associated with serious consequences
such as seizures, mania, stroke, and sudden death (Seirfert). This proves that the caffeine in
energy drinks are the cause of many health problems for teens. Drinking energy drinks can even
have the opposite effect that a teen desires like hindering the ability to exercise, go to school, or
feel better in general. Unfortunately, this is not the only consequence of drinking energy drinks.
The calories in energy drinks also cause problems. For instance, Because obesity is epidemic,
caloric increases from energy drink consumption become important. Additional calories may
increase blood pressure, blood glucose levels, BMI, calcium deficiency, dental problems,
depression, and low self-esteem (Seifert). This quote shows the increased risk of health


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problems due to the high amount of calories contained in energy drinks. Teenagers become more
susceptible to problems, such as obesity, because of the effects energy drinks have on teenagers.
The effects of energy drink consumption in teens include a large number of harmful problems.
There are some solutions to help reduce the amount of energy drinks that are consumed
by teens in America. One solution is to replace energy drinks with healthy products and
promoting a healthier lifestyle. For example, When you need a boost -- whether to study for a
test, prepare for a workout, or just get past an afternoon slump -- there are healthier ways than
energy drinks, the experts say. Among the energy-boosters they recommend are a healthy diet,
physical activity, and a good night's sleep (Zelman). This quote shows that teens who live
healthier lifestyles instead of becoming dependent on energy drinks, can have more energy while
also being healthy. Since energy drink consumption has a huge effect on teenagers health, this is
an important solution in helping to reduce the amount of teens who consume energy drinks and
provide them with beneficial outlets and energizers. However, this is not the only solution to
lowering energy drink consumption in teenagers. Another way to solve the energy drink problem
in teens is for the energy drink companies to be more transparent in their labelling. For instance,
The FDA imposes a limit of 71 mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz of soda. Energy drink manufacturers
may circumvent this limit by claiming that their drinks are natural dietary supplements. Thus,
safety determinations of energy drinks are made solely by the manufacturers, and there are no
requirements for testing, warning labels, or restrictions against sales or consumption by minors
(Seirfert). This quote shows that energy drinks bypass regulations of its content by claiming they
are dietary supplements instead of a soda or beverage. Therefore, encouraging energy drink
companies to be responsible for labelling their products accurately allow teenagers to know
exactly what they are consuming. This gives them the opportunity to have a more educated


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decision of whether or not they want to consume energy drinks, and make a smarter decision
about their lifestyle and their choice of beverages by looking at the ingredients on the can before
they drink it. Alternative personal energy sources and better labelling and regulation are two
main solutions to help teenagers stop abusing energy drinks.
The need to address energy drink consumption in teens must be taken more seriously than
it currently is by society. Many teenagers drink energy drinks because they are cheap way to get
a boost of caffeine and are popular among peers. The negative effects energy drinks have on
teens are numerous, yet more importantly, can lead to heart problems and other long term issues.
Teenagers must be aware of the alternatives and the ingredients of the beverage themselves, in
order to solve this problem and find healthier alternatives. Society needs to begin viewing energy
drink consumption as a problem, and not have it advertised as a healthy and a good source of
energy or the large number of teenagers who consume energy drinks regularly are at a risk for
serious health problems.













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Works Cited

"Are Monster Energy Drinks Bad for You?" New Health Guide. NewHealthGuide.org 2013. 6
May 2014.
<http://www.newhealthguide.org/Are-Monster-Energy-Drinks-Bad-For-You.html>

Seifert, Sara M., Judith L. Schaechter, Eugene R. Hershorin, and Steven E. Lipshultz. "Abstract."
National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14
Feb. 2011. 6 May 2014. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065144/>.

Zelman, Kathleen M. "What's the Buzz About Energy Drinks?" WebMD. WebMD, LLC. 20 Oct.
2006. 6 May 2014.
<http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/whats-the-buzz-about-energy-drinks>.