**Health Effects and Risks of Energy Drinks:**
– Energy drinks are marketed to provide the health effects of caffeine, improving alertness.
– Limited evidence supports benefits from other ingredients in energy drinks.
– Excessive consumption can lead to serious health effects from high caffeine and sugar intake.
– Adverse effects of high caffeine intake include nervousness, abnormal heart rhythms, and more.
– Disruption of sleep patterns, increased risk-taking behavior, and cardiac problems can result from excessive consumption.
**Ingredients and Composition of Energy Drinks:**
– Energy drinks contain caffeine, sugar, and various dietary supplements like vitamin B12.
– Common ingredients include guarana, yerba mate, taurine, ginseng, maltodextrin, and creatine.
– The caffeine content in the U.S. ranges from 40 to 250mg per serving.
– Manufacturers are modifying compositions to reduce sugar, calories, and caffeine content.
– Energy shots are concentrated forms of energy drinks with similar ingredients.
**History and Evolution of Energy Drinks:**
– Energy drinks were initially marketed as energy boosters in the soft drink industry.
– Various brands like Lucozade, Dr. Enuf, and Lipovitan have contributed to the evolution of energy drinks.
– The first wave of energy drinks ended due to ingredient safety concerns.
– Energy drinks have a history dating back to the early 20th century, with different marketing strategies.
– The market has evolved to cater to changing consumer preferences and incorporate organic ingredients.
**Regulations and Bans on Energy Drinks:**
– Countries like the UK, the U.S., Uzbekistan, and India have regulations on the sale and advertising of energy drinks.
– Bans on energy drink sales to minors have been implemented or proposed in various countries.
– Restrictions on age, advertising, and consumption limits aim to protect public health.
– Manufacturers may alter formulas in response to bans or regulatory concerns.
– Some countries have lifted bans on specific energy drink brands based on regulatory changes.
**Marketing and Sales Trends of Energy Drinks:**
– Global energy drink sales were around 44 billion euros in 2017, with a focus on the youth demographic.
– Marketing strategies often target young people due to the functional benefits of energy drinks.
– Manufacturers are incorporating exotic flavors and organic ingredients to attract consumers.
– Industry changes include brand developments like acquisitions and product line modifications.
– The market continues to evolve, with a shift towards cleaner labels and reduced caffeine content.
This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. (September 2018) |
An energy drink is a type of drink containing stimulant compounds, usually caffeine, which is marketed as providing mental and physical stimulation (marketed as "energy", but distinct from food energy). They may or may not be carbonated and may also contain sugar, other sweeteners, or herbal extracts, among numerous other possible ingredients.
 A variety of energy drinks in a German supermarket shelf | |
| Type | Functional beverage |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Introduced | 20th century |
| Color | Various |
| Flavor | Various |
| Ingredients | Usually caffeine, various others |
They are a subset of the larger group of energy products, which includes bars and gels, and distinct from sports drinks, which are advertised to enhance sports performance. There are many brands and varieties in this drink category.
Energy drinks have the effects of caffeine and sugar, but there is little or no evidence that the wide variety of other ingredients have any effect. Most effects of energy drinks on cognitive performance, such as increased attention and reaction speed, are primarily due to the presence of caffeine. Other studies ascribe those performance improvements to the effects of the combined ingredients.
Advertising for energy drinks usually features increased muscle strength and endurance, but there is no scientific consensus to support these claims. Energy drinks have been associated with many health risks, such as an increased rate of injury when usage is combined with alcohol, and excessive or repeated consumption can lead to cardiac and psychiatric conditions. Populations at risk for complications from energy drink consumption include youth, caffeine-naïve or caffeine-sensitive, pregnant, competitive athletes and people with underlying cardiovascular disease.