Energy Drinks: Friend or Foe?

Are energy drinks worth the health consequences?

Ruby Thornton, Reporter|October 20, 2021

Health experts say that regardless if a bill is passed or not, parents should keep their teens from energy drinks and young adults should be careful too.

Energy drinks, such as Monster, Redbull, Rockstar, Bang and more are the drinks that teens and young adults turn to when they feel drained of energy. Most pick up a can without reading the labels or acknowledging surgeons’ warnings about increased risks of heart failure.

Many people pick up a can without reading the labels or acknowledging surgeons warnings about increased risks of heart failure. (Brianna Rich )

According to www.webmd.com, studies and case reports have shown alarming connections between energy drinks and heart issues in young people. Some teenagers have had heart attacks and others have developed atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat.

Sean and Heidi Cripe, a couple from South Carolina, whose son passed away from a heart attack in 2017, have pushed for a bill to be made to restrict the sale of energy drinks to anyone under 18. Health experts say that regardless if a bill is passed or not, parents should keep their teens away from energy drinks and young adults should be careful too.

Ty Hughbanks, a professor at Seward County Community College, says that caffeine is just like any other drug. This means that caffeine addicts can have withdrawals when they cut back on caffeine and that they get anxious when they don’t have it and it feels like they need it.

“Drinking tons of caffeine can increase aging by speeding up metabolism because there is a constant state of cell speed and this also increases anxiety levels,” said Hughbanks.

Hughbanks goes on to explain why younger generations are more likely to grab an energy drink.

There have been teenagers who have had heart attacks from drinking energy drinks.
(Brianna Rich )

“Energy drinks today have a variety of flavors, like fruity and sweet, and that is what appeals to young people. Besides the amount of caffeine, energy drinks also have high fructose corn syrup which is a lot of sugar, the carbon dioxide used for the carbonation affects the pH of the mouth, and there could be amino acids that we do not need and that is what makes energy drinks so bad for people,” Hughbanks said.

While there are good things about caffeine, like opening blood flow and allowing smooth muscles to relax, some might think the cons outweigh the pros. Some health experts believe that caffeine is ok in moderation but in excess can be life-threatening and is something that should be watched out for, especially in teens and young adults.