Erwayne Lacsina

Energy Drinks have a positive effect on your vigor but the after effects are negative such as various heart complications, insomnia, and dehydration.

I look to the right as I hear the girl next to me pop open a can. She sips an Alani Nu every morning at school, but I wonder how all the ingredients in the energy drink will affect her.

“My chest hurts” or “my heart is racing” are sentences I have heard my friends say after drinking an energy drink. Whether it is Alani Nu or Redbull, I have heard both good and bad things from my peers about energy drinks.

The availability, fun colors, tasteful flavors and boosts of energy are what makes them so loved by teenagers. According to Statista.com, an online survey from July of 2023, revealed the most consumed energy drinks. Gatorade was 45 percent, Carabao Energy drink was 37 percent, Monster and Redbull were both 36 percent, and Alani Nu was 33 percent.

Energy drinks are perceived as a great source of energy, especially among athletes and tired students. Having to wake up early for school can be tiring, which is why drinking coffee or energy drinks in the morning is a commonality among high school students. Energy drinks can give a boost in energy, nutrition and can enhance athletic performance.

However, energy drinks also include caffeine and sugar, which are things that should be limited. According to UCLAHealth.org, it is recommended that teenagers ages 12 to 18 restrict their intake to 100 mg of caffeine per day.

Yet, most energy drinks carry more than 100mg of caffeine. Alani Nu contains 200mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz serving and the original flavor of Monster contains 160 mg of caffeine.

Too much caffeine and sugar can have negative impacts on your body. Sugar is bad for your teeth and can cause weight gain. Caffeine can cause jitteriness, stomach aches, headaches, trouble concentrating and sleeping and frequent urination. More serious side effects are irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, hallucinations, and even seizures.

“My chest and stomach hurt sometimes,” said an anonymous student. “I felt kind of weird after drinking a whole energy drink.”

Overall energy drinks may be a good quick source of energy but the negative effects outweigh the small benefits. Adolescents should not drink energy drinks because of the potential harm. Drinking water is a safer and better option than drinking energy drinks.