Energy drinks surge in popularity
More than 500 energy drinks were launched worldwide this year. As more companies join the growing energy drink market, they are vying for the dollars of teenagers with promises of increased endurance and legal highs. These new products are joining top sellers like Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar to make up a $3.4 billion-a-year industry.
According to Simmons Research, 31% of U.S. teenagers say they consume energy drinks. That represents 7.6 million teens. That number has jumped almost 3 million in three years. Last year alone, the energy drink industry grew by 80%.
Nutritionists warn that these drinks, which are loaded with caffeine and sugar, can hook kids on an unhealthy jolt-and-crash cycle. The caffeine in these drinks comes from multiple sources, making it hard to tell exactly how much caffeine they contain. Some contain B vitamins, which when taken in megadoses can cause rapid heartbeat, and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. But the biggest worry is how some teens are using the drinks. Some report downing several cans in a row to get a buzz.
A new study found that a surprising number of poison center calls are from young people getting sick from too much caffeine. During three years of reports to a Chicago poison control center, the researchers found 265 cases of caffeine abuse. These involved young people taking alertness pills such as NoDoz or energy drinks, sometimes mixed with alcohol or other drugs. Twelve percent of those required a trip to the hospital.
“Young people are taking caffeine to stay awake, or perhaps to get a high, and many of them are ending up in the emergency room”, said Dr. Danielle McCarthy of Northwestern University, who conducted the study. “Caffeine is a drug and should be treated with caution, as any drug is.”
Most energy drink brands target male 20-somethings, consistent with the fact that the average age of the caffeine users is 21. In order to attract market share, many companies are using “taboo” names like Pimpjuice, Jolt, Reboot and Bawls. Cocaine Energy Drink launched in September now sells in convenience stores and nightclubs in six states. However, due to a series of complaints from parents, 7-Eleven, Inc. recently told franchises to pull the drink. The company behind Cocaine Energy Drink said they “knew we would get noticed against a thousand other energy drinks”. “We knew kids would find it cool, but we also wanted to stress the idea that it’s an energy drink; you don’t need drugs.” Their slogan is: “The Legal Alternative”.
The industry leader Red Bull started selling in 1987 in Austria. Today 2.5 billion cans are sold every year in more than 130 countries. Red Bull currently holds more than 37% of the energy drink market, according to Beverage Digest.
8oz
| 12oz Can
| per/oz
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine in Energy Drinks | |||
| MDX | 47 mg |
70.5 mg |
5.875 mg |
| Diet MDX | 50 mg |
75 mg |
6.25 mg |
| Amp Energy Drink | 71 mg |
106.5 |
8.875 mg |
| No Fear | 83 mg |
124.5 |
10.375 mg |
| SoBe Adrenaline Rush | 75 mg |
112.5 |
9.375 mg |
| Adrenaline Sport | 35 mg |
52.5 |
4.375 mg |
| Red Bull | 80 mg |
- |
10 mg |
| Atomic Rush | 100 mg (7oz) |
- |
14.29 mg |
| Bawls Guarana | 67 mg (10oz) |
- |
6.7 mg |