Energy Drinks: Is It Bad Energy?

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Background
Energy Drinks
Conclusion
References

Abstract

Energy drinks have become products of choice among many consumers around the world. These drinks are marketed as energy boosters to improve performance, especially due to the effects of caffeine, which increases alertness. The history of energy drinks dates back to the early 20th century when Pepsi gained popularity. However, the controversy surrounding the sale and use of these products is as old as the drinks. In 1916, the federal suit United States v. Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola was meant to compel Coca-Cola to remove caffeine from its products. Since then, there have been sharply divided debates about the safety of energy drinks. As argued in this paper, these products should be banned because they have adverse health outcomes. The first point presented in this paper is that the consumption of energy drinks is strongly correlated with obesity and diabetes, especially among children and youths. The incidence rates of obesity and diabetes have been increasing consistently over the years, making it a major public health concern. Second, the consequences of caffeine on the human body are negative with long-term adverse outcomes. The federal suit mentioned earlier was based on this argument. Children are being exposed to dangerously high levels of daily caffeine intake, which is detrimental to their health. Third, the health effects of additives used in energy drinks, such as taurine, are unknown, and thus policymakers should not risk the health of future generations by allowing the sale of products without adequate scientific data concerning their long-term consequences.

Introduction

Energy drinks have gained popularity over the last few years due to aggressive advertisements by manufacturers and changing consumer preferences. These drinks contain added stimulants, such as caffeine, hence the claim that they boost energy to increase performance. However, despite the widespread usage of these products, there have been controversies surrounding the health implications of their continued intake. On the one hand, critics argue that energy drinks have negative health outcomes, especially those related to high levels of caffeine and sugar in the human body. On the other hand, proponents claim that these drinks are useful to the body and society as they increase performance. Energy drinks should be banned, due to adverse health outcomes, especially for children.

Background

The concept of energy drinks dates back to the beginning of the 20th century when brands such as Pepsi became popular, and the controversies surrounding the safety of these products started at the time. In 1916, the federal suit United States v. Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola sought to force Coca-Cola to minimize the amount of caffeine in their drinks (Hogan, 2016). Since then, the addition of caffeine in drinks has elicited heated debates, which continue up to date. Proponents and critics have not agreed on whether caffeine is good or bad for human health. The issue has been compounded by the increased consumption of these drinks by children around the world.

Energy Drinks

Bad Energy

Energy drinks should be banned because they promote excessive sugar intake, which is harmful to the body. Increased sugar intake among children, teenagers, and young adults affect their health adversely, as it leads to obesity, dental erosion, and it is a predisposing factor to diabetes type II. Supporters of energy drinks argue that there is no direct link between these products and obesity. The available research on the effects of sugar on the body shows that it leads to insulin resistance, which is the major cause of obesity and diabetes (Stanhope, 2016). A 500 ml can of most energy drinks contain over 55 g of sugar (Harris & Munsell, 2015), which is way above the recommended daily intake. Similarly, cases of diabetes have been on the rise over the last few years. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2020) estimates that there are 422 million diabetic people worldwide, with childhood diabetes becoming a major concern due to increasing cases of obesity, which is a leading predisposing factor. Therefore, based on these arguments, it is clear that energy drinks are “bad energy” and should be prohibited.

Figure 1: Reasons for banning energy drinks

Similarly, the high caffeine levels in energy drinks are a major health concern, which justifies the calls for the banning of these products. Proponents of energy drinks claim that caffeine has immense health benefits. However, all manufactures of energy drinks have placed a warning on their products warning consumers that they should not take above a specified amount in a day due to caffeine-related health complications that might arise. The available evidence shows that children and teenagers should not take more than 142 mg of caffeine in a day (Wilkoff et al., 2017). However, a 500 ml can of Monster, a popular energy drink, contains at least 160 g of caffeine. Therefore, if a child takes two cans in a day, which is a common trend among youth, he or she has exceeded the minimum daily requirement by two-fold. The long-term effects of such behaviors are not known, hence the need to ban the sale of these products. It is better to error on the side of caution, than to experiment with the health of children, putting future generations at complicated health risks.

Finally, energy drinks should be banned due to the healthy halo ingredients added to the products. These drinks have a wide range of added components, such as taurine, which are marketed as efficient stimulants to increase performance. Supporters of energy drinks claim that such components are meant to boost the vitality of the products. However, the effects of these additives are unknown, leading to the ban of energy drinks in some countries, including France, Denmark, Uruguay, and Norway (Bradshaw, 2018). Therefore, as argued earlier, regulators should not gamble with the health of uninformed consumers, who have been targeted by aggressive capitalists after profiteering, by allowing the continued sale of energy drinks.

Conclusion

The manufacture and sale of energy drinks have been a controversial public health issue since the emergence of such products in the early 20th century. On the one hand, manufacturers argue that energy drinks are useful to the body as they boost performance. On the other hand, critics are concerned with the adverse health effects associated with these products, especially on children and youths. As shown in this paper, energy drinks should be banned because they contribute significantly to the increasing cases of obesity and diabetes type II, negative outcomes of caffeine, and the unknowns surrounding additives, such as taurine. Therefore, the claims by the proponents of the manufacturing and sale of energy drinks are invalidated based on the arguments made in this paper. As such, it suffices to conclude that energy drinks are “bad energy”, which should be banned immediately from the market.

References

Bradshaw, B. (2018). Five things to know about why we need a ban on energy drinks to children. Food Active. Web.

Harris, J. L., & Munsell, C. R. (2015). Energy drinks and adolescents: What’s the harm? Nutrition Reviews, 73(4), 247-257.

Hogan, E. (2016). Right to try legislation and its implication for the FDA drug approval process. Washington University Journal of Law and Policy, 50, 171-194.

Stanhope, K. L. (2016). Sugar consumption, metabolic disease and obesity: The state of the controversy. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 53(1), 52-67.

WHO. (2020). Diabetes. Web.

Wilkoff, D., Welsh, T., Henderson, R., Brorby, P., Britt, J., Myers, E., Goldberger, J., Lieberman, R., O’Brien, C., Peck, J., Tenenbein, M., Weaver, C., Harvey, S., Urban, J., & Doepker, C. (2017). Systematic review of the potential adverse effects of caffeine consumption in healthy adults, pregnancy women, adolescents and children. Food Chemical Toxicology, 109, 585-648.

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