{"id":344532,"date":"2025-12-12T14:30:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T14:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/344532\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T14:30:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T14:30:11","slug":"are-energy-drinks-safe-to-drink-what-experts-want-you-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/344532\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Energy Drinks Safe To Drink? What Experts Want You To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

A man recently made headlines<\/a> for having a severe stroke at 54\u2014the culprit? His energy drink habit. Beyond his daily eight (!) cans of energy drinks, he was described as fit and healthy\u2014yet even eight years later, he still suffers lingering side effects. Similarly, a 10-year-old in Canada suffered a seizure after consuming two energy drinks just this week<\/a>. While some countries restrict or even ban sales of energy drinks to those under 18, the United States has no federal regulations\u2014leading many to assume they’re safe. <\/p>\n

Interestingly, the FDA<\/a> also states that “pure and highly concentrated caffeine products can have serious health consequences, including death.” One study<\/a> found high morbidity and mortality rates associated with stroke and cardiovascular disease linked to high-sugar drink consumption. But with so many widely available brands and flavors, can energy drinks truly be that bad for you? <\/p>\n

To get to the bottom of it, we asked health experts what energy drinks are and how exactly they affect your body, so the next time you reach for a can, you know exactly what you\u2019re getting into. <\/p>\n

What Do Energy Drinks Do?\"nebraska\"pinterest\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Aaron M. Sprecher\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The name says it all: Energy drinks provide a boost of energy through caffeine. \u201cCaffeine is a stimulant, which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system,\u201d says Dr. Raj Dasgupta<\/a>, a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine. <\/p>\n

Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, a chemical in the brain that makes us sleepy. When we drink energy drinks, our bodies are more alert and focused, thanks in part to an increase in adrenaline. The specific effects\u2014as well as their intensity and duration\u2014depend on the individual and total caffeine consumed. <\/p>\n

How Are Energy Drinks Different Than Coffee?\"government\"pinterest\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Dan Kitwood\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

It’s complicated. The category is huge, and there\u2019s no single comparison that fits every brand. Generally, though, many energy drinks deliver more caffeine per serving than a standard cup of coffee. <\/p>\n

Catherine Gervacio<\/a>, RND, a registered nutritionist and diet consultant for WOWMD, notes that an average 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains about 95-100 mg of caffeine. Energy drinks vary wildly, but often contain between 70 to 200 mg per serving. <\/p>\n

Caffeine sources differ, too, which can affect overall nutritional value. <\/p>\n

Related Story<\/p>\n

\u201cDifferent sources contain not only caffeine but also other beneficial compounds like antioxidants and minerals, which can contribute to the overall nutritional value,\u201d says Dasgupta. \u201cFor example, green tea is rich in antioxidants, which many energy drinks don\u2019t have, giving it an edge in terms of health. Guarana and yerba mate also include natural compounds that can enhance mood and energy. On the other hand, artificial or heavily processed caffeine sources often miss out on these benefits.\u201d <\/p>\n

The biggest difference is often the sugar content. Coffee<\/a> can be sweetened to personal taste; many energy drinks are high in added sugar. A single 16-oz can of Rockstar\u2019s original formula<\/a> packs a whopping 63 grams of sugar\u2014127% of the daily recommended intake. Other brands opt for artificial sweeteners, which have been linked in research to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke<\/a> over time. <\/p>\n

How Safe Are Energy Drinks?\"prime\"pinterest\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Mike Kemp\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Health officials say that no matter what your caffeinated beverage of choice is, you should consume it in moderation. Dasgupta notes that most healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day without experiencing adverse health effects. \u201cToo much caffeine can lead to jitters, trouble sleeping, a racing heart, and sometimes headaches or an upset stomach,\u201d he says. \u201cIn the long run, regularly overdoing it on caffeine can make you dependent on it and need more to get the same boost.\u201d <\/p>\n

Those with certain health conditions should be especially cautious. \u201cFor people dealing with anxiety<\/a> and other mental issues, caffeine can possibly make the symptoms worse since it stimulates the nervous system. It may also interfere with sleep for those who struggle with it already,\u201d Gervacio says. \u201cPeople with cardiovascular issues may want to modify their intake or avoid caffeine as it may cause a rise in heart rate and blood pressure.\u201d <\/p>\n

Antioxidants and added supplements may look appealing on the label, but the high sugar, high caffeine, and preservatives cancel out any other potential benefits\u2014and you can get the same nutrients from whole foods like fruits and vegetables. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn general, energy drinks are not a \u2018healthy\u2019 choice since many are loaded with sugar and artificial stuff, plus high caffeine doses,\u201d Dasgupta says. \u201cSome energy drinks without added sugar can give you a quick energy lift, but natural sources like coffee or tea<\/a> are usually better.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you do choose to enjoy an energy drink, it\u2019s recommended that you read the label closely and keep your total daily caffeine intake in check. Sugar and caffeine add up fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say that these drinks are usually more of an occasional boost rather than a \u2018health food.\u2019 They can be useful for a quick jolt, like during long drives<\/a> or heavy study sessions,\u201d Gervacio says. \u201cBut not ideal for regular use.\u201d<\/p>\n

More On Caffeine & Energy Drinks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A man recently made headlines for having a severe stroke at 54\u2014the culprit? His energy drink habit. Beyond…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":344533,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[172405,56742,111087,17112,24419,50265,172403,97,7535,30716,29612,172404],"class_list":["post-344532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-c4","tag-caffeine","tag-celsius","tag-coffee","tag-energy-drinks","tag-green-tea","tag-guarana","tag-health","tag-prime","tag-red-bull","tag-rockstar","tag-yerba-mate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=344532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/344533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=344532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=344532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=344532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}