The Pros And Cons Of Energy Drinks

1553 Words4 Pages

“Energy drinks” have come into vogue over the past several years all over the world, especially among adolescents (Seifert, Schaechter, Hershorin, & Lipshultz, 2011). According to ReportLinker (2012), the size of the energy drinks market has grown by 60% between 2008 and 2012, and the American sales of energy drinks were $8.6 billion in 2012, which is about twelve times their figure of a decade earlier (Buzz, 2013). It is even said that energy drinks are the fastest growing beverage market in the United States. (Seifert et al., 2011). What is the definition of energy drinks? According to Seifert et al. (2011), energy drinks “may contain caffeine, taurine, sweeteners, herbal supplements and other ingredients and are distinct from sports drinks and vitamin waters” (p512). These days, brands of energy drinks have been diversified, including the market leader RedBull, that sold more than 5.2 billion cans in 165 countries in 2012 (Pangarkar, & Agarwal, 2013). A study indicates “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 of energy drinks” (Seifert et al., 2011, p514). However, as the popularity of energy drinks surges, the number of accidents involving the consumption of energy drinks has been on the rise. (Buzz, 2013). According to Energy (2013), the number of energy drink exposures reported to the Poison Centers has been more than 3000 for three years in a row since 2011, of which more than half were those who are 18 or younger. Mukherjee (2013) reported that in December 2011, a girl in Maryland died in cardiac arrest, allegedly after drinking two 700-milliliter cans of energy drinks within 24 hours. U.S. Food and Drug Administration [USFDA] (2012) revea...

... middle of paper ...

...p://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/18/ama-energydrinks-idUSL2N0EU22120130618

Seifert, S. M., Schaechter, J. L., Hershorin, E. R. & Lipshultz, S. E. (2011). Health effects of energy drinks on children, adolescents, and young adults. Pediatrics, 127(3), 511-528. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-3592

Smithers, R. (2013). Morrisons bans children from buying high-energy drinks. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/nov/22/morrisons-bans-high-energy-drinks-children

Tim, D. (2001, November 9). Food: wake-up call. The Guardian. p. 6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/245750589/4609D000A8BD47FEPQ/2?accountid=45916

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2012). Energy "drinks" and supplements: investigations of adverse event reports. Retrieved from
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/SafetyAlertsAdvisories/ucm328536.htm

Open Document