Energy drink
Encyclopedia
Energy drinks are beverage
s whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar
and caffeine
they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulant
s and vitamin
s.
, the energy drink dates at least as far back as the early 1960s, with the release of the Lipovitan
. Most such products in Japan bear little resemblance to soft drinks, and are sold instead in small brown glass medicine bottles or cans styled to resemble such containers. These "genki drinks", which are also produced in Japan
, are marketed primarily to the salaryman
set.
In the UK, Lucozade Energy
was originally introduced in 1929 as a hospital drink for "aiding the recovery;" in the early 1980s, it was promoted as an energy drink for "replenishing lost energy."
In 1985, Jolt Cola
was introduced in the United States. Its marketing strategy centered on the drink's caffeine content, billing it as a means to promote wakefulness. The initial slogan was, "All the sugar and twice the caffeine."
In 1995, PepsiCo
launched Josta
, the first energy drink introduced by a major US beverage company (one that had interests outside just energy drinks), but Pepsi discontinued the product in 1999.
In Europe, energy drinks were pioneered by the S. Spitz Company and a product named Power Horse, before the business savvy of Dietrich Mateschitz
, an Austrian entrepreneur, ensured his Red Bull
product became far better known, and a worldwide best seller. Mateschitz developed Red Bull based on the Thai drink Krating Daeng
, itself based on Lipovitan
. Red Bull is the dominant brand in the US after its introduction in 1997, with a market share of approximately 47%.
In New Zealand and Australia, the current leading energy drinks product in those markets V
was introduced by Frucor Beverages
.
By 2001, the US energy drink market had grown to nearly 8 million per year in retail sales. Over the next 5 years, it grew an average of over 50% per year, totaling over $3 billion in 2005. Diet energy drinks are growing at nearly twice that rate within the category, as are 16-ounce sized energy drinks. The energy drink market became a $5.4 billion dollar market in 2007, and both Goldman Sachs
and Mintel
predicted that it would hit $10 billion by 2010. Major companies such as Pepsi
, Coca-Cola
, Molson
, and Labatt have tried to match smaller companies' innovative and different approach, with marginal success.
Energy drinks are typically attractive to young people. Approximately 65% percent of its drinkers are between the ages of 13 and 35 years old, with males being approximately 65% of the market. A 2008 statewide Patient Poll conducted by the Pennsylvania Medical Society's Institute for Good Medicine found that: 20% of respondents ages 21–30 had used energy drinks in high school or college to stay awake longer to study or write a paper; 70% of respondents knew someone who had used an energy drink to stay awake longer to study or work. Energy drinks are also popular as drink mixer
s.
In 2001, Coca-Cola
marketed two Powerade
brand energy drinks in bullet-shaped, screw-top aluminum bottle
cans produced by Exal Corporation of Youngstown, Ohio. Powerade
, similar to Gatorade
, is better known as a sports drink.
In 2002, CCL
Container and Mistic Brands, Inc., part of the Snapple Beverage Group, worked together on the national launch of Mistic RĒ, which used a recyclable aluminum bottle. Since its introduction, many energy drinks are now packaged in the aluminum bottles or bottle cans.
Capri Sun
targeted 16-25 year-olds with its Island Refreshers line, graduating from a foil pouch design to a bottlecan or aluminum bottle
. In the UK, Coca-Cola has marketed a direct Red Bull competitor, 'Sprite 3G', in a similar 250 mL can and has also launched 'Relentless', a juice-based energy drink in 500 mL cans.
UK supermarkets have launched their own brands of energy drinks at lower prices than the major soft drink manufacturers. These are mostly produced by Canadian beverage maker Cott
. Tesco
supermarkets sell 'Kx"'(used to be known as 'Kick') in 250 mL cans and 1 L bottles, Sainsbury's sell 'Blue Bolt' in similar packaging, Asda
sell 'Blue Charge' in similar packaging and Morrison's sell 'Source' in 250 mL cans. Cott sells a variety of other branded energy drinks to independent retailers in various containers.
Since 2002 there has been a growing trend for packaging energy drink in bigger cans. Since in many countries, including the US and Canada, there is a limitation on the maximum caffeine per serving in energy drinks, this allows manufacturers to include a greater amount of caffeine by including multiple servings per container. Popular brands such as Redbull, Hype Energy Drinks and Monster have increased the amount of ounces per can. Conversely, the emergence of energy shots has gone the opposite way with much smaller packaging.
In 2007, energy drink powders and effervescent tablets were introduced, in the form of a tablet or powder that can be added to water to create an energy drink. These can offer a more portable option to cans and shots.
As of 2009, the industry has moved towards the use of natural stimulants and reduced sugar.
), B vitamins
, and herb
s. Other commonly used ingredients are carbonated water
, guarana
, yerba mate
, açaí, and taurine, plus various forms of ginseng
, maltodextrin
, inositol
, carnitine
, creatine
, glucuronolactone
, and ginkgo biloba. Some contain high levels of sugar
, and many brands offer artificially sweetened 'diet' versions. A common ingredient in most energy drinks is caffeine
(often in the form of guarana
or yerba mate
). Caffeine is the stimulant
that is found in coffee
and tea
.
Energy drinks contain about three times the amount of caffeine as cola
. 12 ounces of Coca-Cola Classic contains 35mg of caffeine, whereas a Monster Energy Drink contains 120mg of caffeine.
A variety of physiological and psychological effects have been attributed to energy drinks and their ingredients. Two studies reported significant improvements in mental and cognitive performances as well as increased subjective alertness. Excess consumption of energy drinks may induce mild to moderate euphoria
primarily caused by stimulant properties of caffeine and may also induce agitation, anxiety
, irritability and insomnia
.
During repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults an energy drink significantly increased upper body muscle endurance. It has been suggested that reversal of caffeine withdrawal is a major component of the effects of caffeine on mood and performance.
Restorative properties were shown by a combination of caffeine and the sugar glucose
in an energy drink,
and some degree of synergy between the cognition-modulating effects of glucose and caffeine was also suggested. In one experiment, a glucose-based energy drink (containing caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone) was given to eleven tired participants being tested in a driving simulator. Lane drifting and reaction times were measured for two hours post-treatment and showed significant
improvement.
Two articles concluded that the improved information processing and other effects could not be explained in terms of the restoration of plasma caffeine levels to normal following caffeine withdrawal.
Caution is warranted even for healthy adults who choose to consume energy drinks. Consumption of a single energy drink will not lead to excessive caffeine intake; however, consumption of two or more drinks in a single day, can. Other stimulants such as ginseng
are often added to energy drinks and may enhance the effects of caffeine, and ingredients such as guarana
themselves contain caffeine. Adverse effects associated with caffeine consumption in amounts greater than 400 mg include nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and dyspepsia
. Consumption also has been known to cause pupil dilation when taken with certain antidepressants or SSRIs. Most mainstream energy drinks do not provide electrolytes, and have a higher likelihood of an energy "crash-and-burn" effect. Caffeine in energy drinks can excrete water from the body to dilute high concentrations of sugar entering the blood stream, leading to dehydration. If the body is dehydrated by 1%, performance is decreased by up to 10%.
In the US, energy drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits. The drinks may cause seizures due to the "crash" following the energy high that occurs after consumption. Caffeine dosage is not required to be on the product label for food in the United States, unlike drugs, but some advocates are urging the FDA to change this practice.
Dr. Marcie Schneider, an adolescent medicine specialist in Greenwich, Connecticut, has said, "These drinks have no benefit, no place in the diet of kids."
was banned in France
after the death of an 18-year-old Irish
athlete, Ross Cooney, who died within hours after playing a basketball game and consuming four cans of it. This ban was challenged in the European Court of Justice
in 2004. The French Scientific Committee (J.D. Birkel) concluded that Red Bull had an excessive amount of caffeine. Norway
also banned Red Bull for a while, although the ban has recently been revoked. The United Kingdom
investigated the drink, but only issued a warning against its use by children and pregnant women.
In 2009, a school in Hove
, England requested that local shops do not sell energy drinks to students. Headteacher Malvina Sanders added that "This was a preventative measure, as all research shows that consuming high-energy drinks can have a detrimental impact on the ability of young people to concentrate in class." The school has negotiated for their local branch of Tesco
to display posters asking students not to ask for the products.
Similar measures were taken by a school in Oxted
, also in England which banned students from consuming drinks and sent letters to parents. This was featured on the regional news programme BBC South East Today.
New Mexico Military Institute, a military high school and junior college located in Roswell, New Mexico, does not allow sales of energy drinks at the campus "Cadet Store" after an incident of a young Cadet drinking too many drinks in one period and having to be hospitalized.
are often used as mixers with alcoholic beverage
s producing mixed drink
s such as Vodka Red Bull
which are similar to but stronger than rum and coke with respect to the amount of caffeine they contain. They are also sold in a wide variety of formulations such as Four Loko and Joose
which combine caffeine and alcohol. Fruit flavored caffeinated energy drinks in flavors such as watermelon, lemonade and cranberry-lemonade are cheap with a fruity taste. Packaged in 24 ounce cans, they are wildly popular with young people. Four Loko, a product of Phusion Projects, was originally promoted through young employees who were hired to introduce the product to their peer group.
Through separate mechanisms, energy drinks act as stimulants, and alcohol as depressants. Energy drinks can lessen some of the subjective effects of alcohol while making the drinker feel more stimulated and less fatigued. However, they may be unable to counteract some of the psychomotor impairments of alcohol intoxication. Consequently, the mix can be particularly hazardous as energy drinks can mask the influence of alcohol and a person may misinterpret their actual level of intoxication. In fact, people who drink mixers are more likely than non-mixers to drink more alcohol, and are also more likely to suffer alcohol-related consequences such as assault, injury or being an intoxicated driver, even after adjusting for the number of drinks. Although people decide to drink energy drinks with alcohol with the intent of counteracting alcohol intoxication, another large majority do so to hide the taste of alcohol.
Researchers at the Human Performance Laboratory have suggested people refrain from mixing such powerful stimulants with alcohol, they believe it might cause cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular failures. As of November 10, 2010 caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks had been banned in Washington and Michigan
in the United States. The bans followed a widely publicized incident which resulted in hospitalization in the Fall of 2010 of college students who had consumed several cans of Four Loko caffeinated alcoholic beverage. Utah, which has state controlled liquor retail outlets, after studying them, never permitted the sale of caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks. The products will no longer be delivered to Oklahoma after December 3, 2010 and delivery to retailers has been suspended in New York.
On November 17, 2010, the US Food and Drug Administration
warned four companies, Charge Beverages Corp., New Century Brewing Co., Phusion Projects, and United Brands Company Inc, that the caffeine added to their malt alcoholic beverages is an "unsafe food additive" and said that further action, including seizure of their products, may occur under federal law. In a press release, the FDA states "there is evidence that the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern." They also state that concerns have been raised that caffeine can mask some of the sensory cues individuals might normally rely on to determine their level of intoxication. Warning letters were issued to each of the four companies requiring them to provide to the FDA in writing within 15 days of the specific steps the firms will be taking.
Manufacturers have argued that drinking a caffeinated alcoholic energy drink is indistinguishable from drinking a couple of glasses of wine followed by a couple of cups of coffee, a typical dinner behavior.
, Drank
, iChill, Marley's Mellow Mood, Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda
, Chill,Calm, Malava Kava, V.i.B. (meaning "vacation in a bottle"), and Jones Gaba. They are growing in popularity, with sales doubling from 2008 to 2010, and expected to more than double again by 2014. They contain ingredients such as theanine
and melatonin
.
Water or lower-octane sports drinks which contain electrolytes, some minerals and carbohydrate are better choice to reduce the possibility of dehydration and increase in blood pressure.
Health experts say caffeine prevents sleepiness and delays the feeling of drunkenness normally experienced when drinking alcohol, causing some people to continue drinking after they normally would have stopped. Both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, so mixing energy drinks with alcohol can cause severe dehydration
, possibly leading to vomiting
, nausea
, and other health problems in the long term.
In 2008, Anheuser-Busch agreed to take caffeine out of energy drinks that contain alcohol, after 11 state attorneys general charged the brewer was marketing them to underage drinkers. This action is also followed by MillerCoors in the same year.
In 2001, the National Agency for Drug and Food Control in Indonesia (a.k.a. Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan - BPOM) ordered the producer of Kratingdaeng and Kratingdaeng S (brand affiliates of Red Bull) and Galin Bugar and the importer of M 150 energy drinks to withdraw their products because bottles were found to contain 80 milligrams of caffeine, far exceeding the acceptable 50 mg per bottle/can stated on the label. Producer of Kratingdaeng insisted that their over-the-counter products met regulations and refused to apologize, arguing that their products met acceptable standards. But several days later, the company apologized to consumers and promised to intensify the company's quality control system to avoid a similar incident from happening again. Finally, two million bottles of Kratingdaeng and Kratingdaeng S were recalled. Many people believe that it is due to competition among energy drink manufacturers to boost the reputations of their own products. One of former vice chairman of the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI), urged BPOM to establish a firmer policy to prevent companies from deceiving consumers.
Drink
A drink, or beverage, is a liquid which is specifically prepared for human consumption. In addition to fulfilling a basic human need, beverages form part of the culture of human society.-Water:...
s whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and caffeine
Caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulant
Stimulant
Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
s and vitamin
Vitamin
A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. In other words, an organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on...
s.
History
In JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the energy drink dates at least as far back as the early 1960s, with the release of the Lipovitan
Lipovitan
, marketed in English-speaking countries under the name Libogen and Livita, is an energy drink manufactured by Taisho Pharmaceutical and its licensees . Widely available in East Asia, it retails in brown 100ml bottles. The drink has a distinctive bright yellow coloring and is marketed to alleviate...
. Most such products in Japan bear little resemblance to soft drinks, and are sold instead in small brown glass medicine bottles or cans styled to resemble such containers. These "genki drinks", which are also produced in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, are marketed primarily to the salaryman
Salaryman
refers to someone whose income is salary based; particularly those working for corporations. Its frequent use by Japanese corporations, and its prevalence in Japanese manga and anime has gradually led to its acceptance in English-speaking countries as a noun for a Japanese white-collar...
set.
In the UK, Lucozade Energy
Lucozade
Lucozade is an umbrella name for a 6 series of energy and sports drinks, produced by GlaxoSmithKline in Gloucestershire. The former company became part of Beecham and, after the mergers of SmithKline and Beecham in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline....
was originally introduced in 1929 as a hospital drink for "aiding the recovery;" in the early 1980s, it was promoted as an energy drink for "replenishing lost energy."
In 1985, Jolt Cola
Jolt Cola
Jolt Cola was a carbonated soft drink produced by Wet Planet Beverages. It was created in 1985 by C. J. Rapp as a highly caffeinated cola. It is targeted towards students and young professionals, stressing its use as a stimulant in a similar manner as energy drinks...
was introduced in the United States. Its marketing strategy centered on the drink's caffeine content, billing it as a means to promote wakefulness. The initial slogan was, "All the sugar and twice the caffeine."
In 1995, PepsiCo
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
launched Josta
Josta
Josta was a soft drink brand that was produced by PepsiCo and the first energy drink ever introduced by a major US beverage company. Josta's flavor has been described as predominately fruity, with a hint of spice and a touch of the key ingredient guaraná...
, the first energy drink introduced by a major US beverage company (one that had interests outside just energy drinks), but Pepsi discontinued the product in 1999.
In Europe, energy drinks were pioneered by the S. Spitz Company and a product named Power Horse, before the business savvy of Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz is an Austrian businessman who co-founded the Red Bull energy drink company and holds 49 per cent of the company's shares.-Biography:...
, an Austrian entrepreneur, ensured his Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
product became far better known, and a worldwide best seller. Mateschitz developed Red Bull based on the Thai drink Krating Daeng
Krating Daeng
Krating Daeng is a sweetened, non-carbonated energy drink. The drink is mostly sold in Asia but can be found in Austria, Sweden, Australia, Canada and New Zealand where it is sometimes renamed "Thai Red Bull"...
, itself based on Lipovitan
Lipovitan
, marketed in English-speaking countries under the name Libogen and Livita, is an energy drink manufactured by Taisho Pharmaceutical and its licensees . Widely available in East Asia, it retails in brown 100ml bottles. The drink has a distinctive bright yellow coloring and is marketed to alleviate...
. Red Bull is the dominant brand in the US after its introduction in 1997, with a market share of approximately 47%.
In New Zealand and Australia, the current leading energy drinks product in those markets V
V (drink)
V is an energy drink brand produced by Frucor Beverages Ltd since August 1997. In 2003, in supermarkets and service stations, V had a market share over 60% in New Zealand and 53% in Australia, making it the most popular brand of energy drink in both countries. V is made in New Zealand and...
was introduced by Frucor Beverages
Frucor
Frucor is a private Australasian beverage company headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Frucor is the market leader in energy drinks throughout Australasia and the second-largest non-alcoholic drinks company in New Zealand...
.
By 2001, the US energy drink market had grown to nearly 8 million per year in retail sales. Over the next 5 years, it grew an average of over 50% per year, totaling over $3 billion in 2005. Diet energy drinks are growing at nearly twice that rate within the category, as are 16-ounce sized energy drinks. The energy drink market became a $5.4 billion dollar market in 2007, and both Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
and Mintel
Mintel
Mintel Group Ltd is a privately owned, London-based market research firm. The corporation also maintains offices in Chicago, New York, Belfast, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney...
predicted that it would hit $10 billion by 2010. Major companies such as Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Molson
Molson
Molson-Coors Canada Inc. is the Canadian division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. It is the second oldest company in Canada after the Hudson's Bay Company. Molson's first brewery was located on the St...
, and Labatt have tried to match smaller companies' innovative and different approach, with marginal success.
Energy drinks are typically attractive to young people. Approximately 65% percent of its drinkers are between the ages of 13 and 35 years old, with males being approximately 65% of the market. A 2008 statewide Patient Poll conducted by the Pennsylvania Medical Society's Institute for Good Medicine found that: 20% of respondents ages 21–30 had used energy drinks in high school or college to stay awake longer to study or write a paper; 70% of respondents knew someone who had used an energy drink to stay awake longer to study or work. Energy drinks are also popular as drink mixer
Drink mixer
Drink mixers are the non-alcoholic ingredients in mixed drinks and cocktails. There are many reasons mixers are used. They change or enhance flavors or add new ones to a drink. Mixers dilute the drink, lowering the alcohol by volume in the drink. They may make the drink sweeter, more sour, or more...
s.
In 2001, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
marketed two Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
brand energy drinks in bullet-shaped, screw-top aluminum bottle
Aluminum bottle
The aluminium bottle is a bottle made of aluminium or aluminum . In some countries, it is also referred to as a bottlecan, is a bottle made entirely of aluminium that holds beer, soft drinks, wine, and other liquids.- History & overview :...
cans produced by Exal Corporation of Youngstown, Ohio. Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
, similar to Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
, is better known as a sports drink.
In 2002, CCL
CCL Industries
CCL Industries Inc. is a Toronto, Ontario-based company founded in 1951. CCL Industries is a specialty packaging company that provides packaging products to the Home & Personal Care, Food & Beverage, Healthcare and Specialty markets worldwide...
Container and Mistic Brands, Inc., part of the Snapple Beverage Group, worked together on the national launch of Mistic RĒ, which used a recyclable aluminum bottle. Since its introduction, many energy drinks are now packaged in the aluminum bottles or bottle cans.
Capri Sun
Capri Sun
Capri Sun is a brand of juice concentrate drink owned by the German Company WILD and sold in silver pouches. It was developed by Rudolf Wild in 1966 in Germany, where Capri Sonne has been a registered trademark since 1952. Capri Sun has been distributed in the United States since 1981. Kraft Foods...
targeted 16-25 year-olds with its Island Refreshers line, graduating from a foil pouch design to a bottlecan or aluminum bottle
Aluminum bottle
The aluminium bottle is a bottle made of aluminium or aluminum . In some countries, it is also referred to as a bottlecan, is a bottle made entirely of aluminium that holds beer, soft drinks, wine, and other liquids.- History & overview :...
. In the UK, Coca-Cola has marketed a direct Red Bull competitor, 'Sprite 3G', in a similar 250 mL can and has also launched 'Relentless', a juice-based energy drink in 500 mL cans.
UK supermarkets have launched their own brands of energy drinks at lower prices than the major soft drink manufacturers. These are mostly produced by Canadian beverage maker Cott
Cott
The Cott Corporation is a leading supplier of private label carbonated soft drinks distributing to Canada, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Europe. In addition to producing many private-label beverages for retailers, Cott also has a large and growing portfolio of its own brands...
. Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarkets sell 'Kx"'(used to be known as 'Kick') in 250 mL cans and 1 L bottles, Sainsbury's sell 'Blue Bolt' in similar packaging, Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
sell 'Blue Charge' in similar packaging and Morrison's sell 'Source' in 250 mL cans. Cott sells a variety of other branded energy drinks to independent retailers in various containers.
Since 2002 there has been a growing trend for packaging energy drink in bigger cans. Since in many countries, including the US and Canada, there is a limitation on the maximum caffeine per serving in energy drinks, this allows manufacturers to include a greater amount of caffeine by including multiple servings per container. Popular brands such as Redbull, Hype Energy Drinks and Monster have increased the amount of ounces per can. Conversely, the emergence of energy shots has gone the opposite way with much smaller packaging.
In 2007, energy drink powders and effervescent tablets were introduced, in the form of a tablet or powder that can be added to water to create an energy drink. These can offer a more portable option to cans and shots.
As of 2009, the industry has moved towards the use of natural stimulants and reduced sugar.
Ingredients
Energy drinks generally contain methylxanthines (including caffeineCaffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
), B vitamins
B vitamins
B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. The B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B . Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods...
, and herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
s. Other commonly used ingredients are carbonated water
Carbonated water
Carbonated water is water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, a process that causes the water to become effervescent....
, guarana
Guarana
Guarana , Paullinia cupana, syn. P. crysan, P. sorbilis) is a climbing plant in the maple family, Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee bean...
, yerba mate
Yerba mate
Maté, yerba maté or erva maté , Ilex paraguariensis, is a species of holly native to subtropical South America in northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay...
, açaí, and taurine, plus various forms of ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
, maltodextrin
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive. It is produced from starch by partial hydrolysis and is usually found as a creamy-white hygroscopic spraydried powder. Maltodextrin is easily digestible, being absorbed as rapidly as glucose, and might be either moderately sweet or...
, inositol
Inositol
Inositol or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a chemical compound with formula 6126 or 6, a sixfold alcohol of cyclohexane. It exists in nine possible stereoisomers, of which the most prominent form, widely occurring in nature, is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, or myo-inositol...
, carnitine
Carnitine
Carnitine is a quaternary ammonium compound biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In living cells, it is required for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy. It is widely...
, creatine
Creatine
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to all cells in the body, primarily muscle. This is achieved by increasing the formation of Adenosine triphosphate...
, glucuronolactone
Glucuronolactone
Glucuronolactone is a naturally occurring chemical that is an important structural component of nearly all connective tissues. Glucuronolactone is also found in many plant gums.- Physical and chemical properties :...
, and ginkgo biloba. Some contain high levels of sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, and many brands offer artificially sweetened 'diet' versions. A common ingredient in most energy drinks is caffeine
Caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
(often in the form of guarana
Guarana
Guarana , Paullinia cupana, syn. P. crysan, P. sorbilis) is a climbing plant in the maple family, Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee bean...
or yerba mate
Yerba mate
Maté, yerba maté or erva maté , Ilex paraguariensis, is a species of holly native to subtropical South America in northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay...
). Caffeine is the stimulant
Stimulant
Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
that is found in coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
.
Energy drinks contain about three times the amount of caffeine as cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
. 12 ounces of Coca-Cola Classic contains 35mg of caffeine, whereas a Monster Energy Drink contains 120mg of caffeine.
Effects
Euphoria (emotion)
Euphoria is medically recognized as a mental and emotional condition in which a person experiences intense feelings of well-being, elation, happiness, ecstasy, excitement and joy...
primarily caused by stimulant properties of caffeine and may also induce agitation, anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
, irritability and insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
.
During repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults an energy drink significantly increased upper body muscle endurance. It has been suggested that reversal of caffeine withdrawal is a major component of the effects of caffeine on mood and performance.
Restorative properties were shown by a combination of caffeine and the sugar glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
in an energy drink,
and some degree of synergy between the cognition-modulating effects of glucose and caffeine was also suggested. In one experiment, a glucose-based energy drink (containing caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone) was given to eleven tired participants being tested in a driving simulator. Lane drifting and reaction times were measured for two hours post-treatment and showed significant
improvement.
Two articles concluded that the improved information processing and other effects could not be explained in terms of the restoration of plasma caffeine levels to normal following caffeine withdrawal.
Caution is warranted even for healthy adults who choose to consume energy drinks. Consumption of a single energy drink will not lead to excessive caffeine intake; however, consumption of two or more drinks in a single day, can. Other stimulants such as ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
are often added to energy drinks and may enhance the effects of caffeine, and ingredients such as guarana
Guarana
Guarana , Paullinia cupana, syn. P. crysan, P. sorbilis) is a climbing plant in the maple family, Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee bean...
themselves contain caffeine. Adverse effects associated with caffeine consumption in amounts greater than 400 mg include nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and dyspepsia
Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia , also known as upset stomach or indigestion, refers to a condition of impaired digestion. It is a medical condition characterized by chronic or recurrent pain in the upper abdomen, upper abdominal fullness and feeling full earlier than expected when eating...
. Consumption also has been known to cause pupil dilation when taken with certain antidepressants or SSRIs. Most mainstream energy drinks do not provide electrolytes, and have a higher likelihood of an energy "crash-and-burn" effect. Caffeine in energy drinks can excrete water from the body to dilute high concentrations of sugar entering the blood stream, leading to dehydration. If the body is dehydrated by 1%, performance is decreased by up to 10%.
In the US, energy drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits. The drinks may cause seizures due to the "crash" following the energy high that occurs after consumption. Caffeine dosage is not required to be on the product label for food in the United States, unlike drugs, but some advocates are urging the FDA to change this practice.
Dr. Marcie Schneider, an adolescent medicine specialist in Greenwich, Connecticut, has said, "These drinks have no benefit, no place in the diet of kids."
Attempts to ban
The popular energy drink Red BullRed Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
was banned in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after the death of an 18-year-old Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
athlete, Ross Cooney, who died within hours after playing a basketball game and consuming four cans of it. This ban was challenged in the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
in 2004. The French Scientific Committee (J.D. Birkel) concluded that Red Bull had an excessive amount of caffeine. Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
also banned Red Bull for a while, although the ban has recently been revoked. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
investigated the drink, but only issued a warning against its use by children and pregnant women.
In 2009, a school in Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, England requested that local shops do not sell energy drinks to students. Headteacher Malvina Sanders added that "This was a preventative measure, as all research shows that consuming high-energy drinks can have a detrimental impact on the ability of young people to concentrate in class." The school has negotiated for their local branch of Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
to display posters asking students not to ask for the products.
Similar measures were taken by a school in Oxted
Oxted
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
, also in England which banned students from consuming drinks and sent letters to parents. This was featured on the regional news programme BBC South East Today.
New Mexico Military Institute, a military high school and junior college located in Roswell, New Mexico, does not allow sales of energy drinks at the campus "Cadet Store" after an incident of a young Cadet drinking too many drinks in one period and having to be hospitalized.
Caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks
Energy drinks such as Red BullRed Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
are often used as mixers with alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s producing mixed drink
Mixed drink
A mixed drink is a beverage in which two or more ingredients are mixed. Some mixed drinks are alcoholic beverages that contain liquor; others are non-alcoholic.-Types:Some popular types of mixed drinks are:...
s such as Vodka Red Bull
Vodka Red Bull
An alcoholic drink most commonly known as a VRB. Also known as a Vod-Bomb, Birch, Vod Bull, or a 'DVR' , it is a cocktail made by mixing vodka and the caffeinated energy drink Red Bull. It is generally popular among 18–30 year olds in bars and nightclubs around the world...
which are similar to but stronger than rum and coke with respect to the amount of caffeine they contain. They are also sold in a wide variety of formulations such as Four Loko and Joose
Joose
Joose is a flavored malt beverage introduced by United Brands Co. in 2007. It is similar in design and formulation to other alcopop beverages such as Sparks, Four, and Tilt. The average caloric content of a 23.5 oz. can is 380 calories.-Product line:...
which combine caffeine and alcohol. Fruit flavored caffeinated energy drinks in flavors such as watermelon, lemonade and cranberry-lemonade are cheap with a fruity taste. Packaged in 24 ounce cans, they are wildly popular with young people. Four Loko, a product of Phusion Projects, was originally promoted through young employees who were hired to introduce the product to their peer group.
Through separate mechanisms, energy drinks act as stimulants, and alcohol as depressants. Energy drinks can lessen some of the subjective effects of alcohol while making the drinker feel more stimulated and less fatigued. However, they may be unable to counteract some of the psychomotor impairments of alcohol intoxication. Consequently, the mix can be particularly hazardous as energy drinks can mask the influence of alcohol and a person may misinterpret their actual level of intoxication. In fact, people who drink mixers are more likely than non-mixers to drink more alcohol, and are also more likely to suffer alcohol-related consequences such as assault, injury or being an intoxicated driver, even after adjusting for the number of drinks. Although people decide to drink energy drinks with alcohol with the intent of counteracting alcohol intoxication, another large majority do so to hide the taste of alcohol.
Researchers at the Human Performance Laboratory have suggested people refrain from mixing such powerful stimulants with alcohol, they believe it might cause cardiopulmonary or cardiovascular failures. As of November 10, 2010 caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks had been banned in Washington and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in the United States. The bans followed a widely publicized incident which resulted in hospitalization in the Fall of 2010 of college students who had consumed several cans of Four Loko caffeinated alcoholic beverage. Utah, which has state controlled liquor retail outlets, after studying them, never permitted the sale of caffeinated alcoholic energy drinks. The products will no longer be delivered to Oklahoma after December 3, 2010 and delivery to retailers has been suspended in New York.
On November 17, 2010, the US Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
warned four companies, Charge Beverages Corp., New Century Brewing Co., Phusion Projects, and United Brands Company Inc, that the caffeine added to their malt alcoholic beverages is an "unsafe food additive" and said that further action, including seizure of their products, may occur under federal law. In a press release, the FDA states "there is evidence that the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern." They also state that concerns have been raised that caffeine can mask some of the sensory cues individuals might normally rely on to determine their level of intoxication. Warning letters were issued to each of the four companies requiring them to provide to the FDA in writing within 15 days of the specific steps the firms will be taking.
Manufacturers have argued that drinking a caffeinated alcoholic energy drink is indistinguishable from drinking a couple of glasses of wine followed by a couple of cups of coffee, a typical dinner behavior.
Anti-energy drinks
Several beverages have been marketed in the 2000s as "anti-energy", "chill out", or "relaxation" drinks, including Slow CowSlow Cow
Slow Cow is a relaxation beverage produced in Quebec, Canada by the company Slow Cow Drink Inc. Dubbed an "anti-energy" drink, it was created to "help people slow down" and parodied Red Bull by using packaging similar to that of the popular energy drink...
, Drank
Drank (soda)
Drank is a grape flavored soft drink sold in the United States and Canada. It is marketed as a "Non-Energy" drink which causes relaxation as opposed to a sugar or caffeine jolt....
, iChill, Marley's Mellow Mood, Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda
Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda
Mary Jane's Relaxing Soda is an American commercial soft drink laced with kava, a plant root from the South Pacific that has sedative effects. The drink belongs to a group of so-called "chill-out" or "anti-energy" drinks that offer an alternative to caffeinated energy drinks.Kava has long been used...
, Chill,Calm, Malava Kava, V.i.B. (meaning "vacation in a bottle"), and Jones Gaba. They are growing in popularity, with sales doubling from 2008 to 2010, and expected to more than double again by 2014. They contain ingredients such as theanine
Theanine
Theanine , also gamma-glutamylethylamide or 5-N-ethyl-glutamine, is an amino acid and a glutamic acid analog commonly found in tea , primarily in green tea, and also in the basidiomycete mushroom Boletus badius and in guayusa. More specifically, this compound is called L-theanine, being the...
and melatonin
Melatonin
Melatonin , also known chemically as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a naturally occurring compound found in animals, plants, and microbes...
.
Hidden risk
In November 2010, the University of Texas Medical School at Houston reported that energy drinks contain more caffeine than a strong cup of coffee, and that the caffeine combined with other ingredients (sometimes not reported correctly on labels) such as guarana, amino acid taurine, other herbs, vitamins and minerals may interact. Energy drinks consumed with alcohol may affect heart rates, blood pressure and even mental states. The caffeine content of energy drinks range from 70–200 mg per 16-oz serving whereas a 16-oz cup of coffee can contain 80–300 mg.Water or lower-octane sports drinks which contain electrolytes, some minerals and carbohydrate are better choice to reduce the possibility of dehydration and increase in blood pressure.
Health experts say caffeine prevents sleepiness and delays the feeling of drunkenness normally experienced when drinking alcohol, causing some people to continue drinking after they normally would have stopped. Both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, so mixing energy drinks with alcohol can cause severe dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
, possibly leading to vomiting
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
, nausea
Nausea
Nausea , is a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an involuntary urge to vomit. It often, but not always, precedes vomiting...
, and other health problems in the long term.
In 2008, Anheuser-Busch agreed to take caffeine out of energy drinks that contain alcohol, after 11 state attorneys general charged the brewer was marketing them to underage drinkers. This action is also followed by MillerCoors in the same year.
In 2001, the National Agency for Drug and Food Control in Indonesia (a.k.a. Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan - BPOM) ordered the producer of Kratingdaeng and Kratingdaeng S (brand affiliates of Red Bull) and Galin Bugar and the importer of M 150 energy drinks to withdraw their products because bottles were found to contain 80 milligrams of caffeine, far exceeding the acceptable 50 mg per bottle/can stated on the label. Producer of Kratingdaeng insisted that their over-the-counter products met regulations and refused to apologize, arguing that their products met acceptable standards. But several days later, the company apologized to consumers and promised to intensify the company's quality control system to avoid a similar incident from happening again. Finally, two million bottles of Kratingdaeng and Kratingdaeng S were recalled. Many people believe that it is due to competition among energy drink manufacturers to boost the reputations of their own products. One of former vice chairman of the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI), urged BPOM to establish a firmer policy to prevent companies from deceiving consumers.