Safety of Energy Drinks

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    In our Perspectives in Community Nutrition class today we were informed energy drinks,specifically, 5 hour energy have been linked to two deaths within the United States and the FDA is currently investigating these adverse event reports. On TV, 5 hour energy now has a commercial with all kinds of vegetables flowing out of the bottle's opening sending a message to consumers  these energy shots are healthy and packed with B vitamins. Symptoms associated with 5 hour energy drinks in the adverse events report include tachycardia, dyspnea, myocardial infarctions, vomiting, hyperventilation, disorientation,convulsions etc (See all symptoms in report below).

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofFoods/CFSAN/CFSANFOIAElectronicReadingRoom/UCM328270.pdf

Interestingly, a two ounce, 5 hour energy shot contains around 135-200 mg of caffeine while the FDA states 400 mg of caffeine daily is not associated with adverse effects in healthy adults. It will be interesting to see the research continue to expand the next few years and see if other ingredients in these energy shots such as taurine are correlated with adverse health effects.

As a future RD, it's extremely important to stay up to date on the FDA's adverse event reports related to nutrition in order to provide safe and ethical information to clients!

 Energy Drinks and Supplements: Investigations of Adverse Event Reports. FDA website. 2012. http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ucm328536.htm. Accessed March 19, 2013

E. Kintner





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