Energy Drinks: How Much Caffeine Are You Actually Drinking?

More and more Americans are relying on energy drinks to perform throughout the day. But do you know the actual amount of caffeine you are drinking? Look below to find your favorite item on this list and see if the number surprises you.

A regular 12 oz can of Mountain Dew contains 55 milligrams (mg) of caffeine. In 2001, PepsiCo released a highly caffeinated Mountain Dew relative called Amp. Amp comes in three different sizes, an 8 oz can with 75 mgs of caffeine, a 16 oz Tall Boy with 143 mgs of caffeine, and a 24 ounce Big Rig with a whopping 214 oz of caffeine. That's over 4 times a can of regular Mountain Dew and twice as much as a regular cup of coffee! However, this seems to be industry standard, as popular drinks like Full Throttle, SoBe No Fear and Rockstar come in 16 oz cans and sport approximately 150 mgs of caffeine apiece.

If you are more of a coffee drinker, try a 12 oz Starbucks Tall Coffee with 279 mgs of caffeine. Caffeine levels in coffee are harder to determine, as they vary greatly on the type and ways coffees are brewed. A16 oz Starbucks Coffee Grande has been labeled as having 259 mgs of caffeine, but other reports show caffeine levels as high as 372 mgs.

Some energy drinks are crossing the line and may even be dangerous. Recently, the FDA outlawed Cocaine, an energy drink who's 8 oz sports 280 mgs of caffeine. Manufacturers renamed the drink Censored and are promoting its FDA censor, but the drink's future is unclear. Another dangerous drink, Spike Shooter, contains 300 mgs of caffeine per 8 oz. Spike Shooter started as a diet supplement but is moving into the highly lucrative energy drink market. The effects of this drink are so strong these warnings are printed directly on the can: Do not use if you are under the age of 16 or elderly. This product contains strong stimulants and should not be combined with any other stimulant or fat-loss product. Recommended Use: Begin use with one-half can to daily to determine tolerance. Never exceed one can daily.

Worried that you may be drinking too much caffeine? For information on any and all energy drinks, check out energyfield.com. There, you can also calculate your daily caffeine intake and check to see how much of your favorite drink you'd have to consume before it would kill you.