Energy-Boost Drinks: Are They Safe?

A walk through any grocery or convenience store, pharmacy or gym will display any number of modern energy-boosting drinks. Marketed primarily to the under-30 crowd, these supposed marvels of dietary technology promise instant mental alertness and physical prowess.

But are those claims justified, and more importantly, are the products safe?

Many of these mega-marketed concoctions are heavily laden with sugar and caffeine, both of which will give an almost instantaneous jolt to the system, much like that experienced by the drinking of a strong cup of regular coffee. After the initial quick pick-me-up, however, users may suffer the letdown of the all-too-well-known sugar crashes, while caffeine-sensitive users may experience the jitters and possibly even heart palpitations.

Most of these boosters also contain stimulants other than sugar and caffeine. Among them, Taurine, known to be a potent antioxidant, nevertheless has been linked to altered heart rhythms and possibly to a number of deaths, although the evidence of the latter has not been conclusive. The lack of scientific data on the safety of Taurine has caused a number of European countries to outlaw the importation or the production of energy-booster drinks with Taurine in them. Those sold in the United States and Canada, although legal, must, under federal law, display warning labels.

A cocktail of B-vitamins, particularly B3, B5, B6 and B12, also finds itself into many, if not most energy-boosters. Being water-soluble, B-vitamins can be quickly depleted from the body through urination, but, contrary to energy-drink manufacturers' claims, most individuals get more than enough of B-vitamins in their daily diet. The claim that B-vitamins boost energy has been debunked by medical science, notably by Victoria Drake, a researcher with the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University in Corvallis, stating that B-vitamins in energy-boosters are nothing more than a "gimmick." (ref: Los Angeles Times; Health: "B Vitamins Don't Boost Energy Drinks' Power," Chris Woolston, Jul 14, 08)

Some preliminary studies also suggest that mixing energy-boost drinks with alcohol present their own unique problems. It has already been well documented that mixing stimulants with depressants has, in some instances, caused heart complications. At the very least, the energy-boost stimulant mixed with the depressant alcohol can deceive someone into believing that the level of intoxication, and thus the level of impairment, is less severe than it actually is.

Energy-boost manufacturers have addressed some of the public's concerns, notably the potential problems associated with caffeine and sugar ingestion, by introducing sugar and caffeine free products. Still, comprehensive information about these energy-boosting products is sketchy, and consumers, especially those with heart-related health concerns, are advised to tread cautiously with them.