Energy drinks' sugar, caffeine raise concerns

By Gannett News Service

Sales of energy drinks and shots are soaring, even as health concerns grow about the high-caffeine drinks.

"Energy drinks … can be beneficial to those using them as directed and for their designed purpose. But some people are using them with alcohol, a misuse that puts you at risk. People have died because of this combination.

"I don't recommend consuming energy drinks on a daily basis. This craze began with beverages chock full of sugar and carbs, which add a lot of extra calories. But worse than that, the excessive sugar intake can possibly lead to … insulin resistance and diabetes. Most of the popular brands have introduced lower-sugar and sugar-free drinks as a better option for health-conscious consumers. Still, the acid in some can cause tooth erosion. I recommend using a straw so the liquid avoids coming in contact with your teeth and rinsing your mouth with water after drinking any acidic beverages."

A.J. Jarrell, owner of Total Pro Personal Training, located at Independence Gym, Scottsdale ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

"These drinks contain mainly sugar, caffeine and other additives whose safety or efficacy has not been established. Being sweet, it is very easy to consume large quantities of these beverages, resulting in even higher intake of caffeine and other stimulants. A much better way to get an energy boost is … drinking plenty of water, eating healthy, being physically active and getting enough sleep."

Registered dietitian Punam Ohri-Vachaspati, associate professor, Arizona State University School of Nutrition and Health Promotion

"There is some merit to the idea that extremely high levels of caffeine (or any other stimulant) could place young athletes at risk of dying from arrhythmias, a group of conditions where the electrical circuitry of the heart can be disturbed, especially if there is any underlying predisposition to this. However, this has not been very well studied and is very hard to prove … because of the relatively low prevalence of these underlying conditions in children and adolescents."

Physician John Kearney, sports-medicine specialist with the CORE Institute (Center for Orthopedic Research and Education), six Arizona locations

The dollar value of energy-drink sales rose 13.3 percent last year, thanks in part to a "significant boost" from energy-shot sales at convenience stores, according to a report from the market-research firm SymphonyIRI Group.

"Most of the (health) risk is among children, adolescents and young adults, especially those with medical conditions, such as attention-deficit disorder and if they're taking medications," registered dietitian Punam Ohri-Vachaspati said.

Yet young people are the primary marketing targets for the energy drinks, says Ohri-Vachaspati, an associate professor in the Arizona State University School of Nutrition and Health Promotion.

Adults, too, face adverse effects, especially if they mix high caffeine consumption with alcohol or drugs, she says.

American Beverage Association science chief Maureen Storey says energy drinks are no worse than coffee. A 16-ounce cup of Starbucks' Pike Place coffee, for instance, has 330 milligrams of caffeine. A 16-ounce latte has 150 mg, compared with 160 mg in a 16-ounce can of Monster Energy.

But people typically don't "gulp" coffee the way they do energy drinks and shots, says Barbara Crouch, head of Utah's poison-control center. This causes them to accumulate higher concentrations of caffeine quickly, which can result in anxiousness, palpitations and "more significant heart-rhythm disturbances," she says.

The federal Food and Drug Administration limits caffeine in soft drinks to 71 mg for 12 ounces but doesn't regulate the caffeine in energy drinks, coffee or tea.

The anti-doping agency that regulates performance-enhancing drugs for the International Olympic Committee includes caffeine in its rules, says Dr. John Kearney, a Valley sports-medicine specialist. To "legally compete" in the Olympics, athletes cannot have more than the equivalent of six cups of coffee in their system. Caffeine "does improve mental focus and lowers levels of perceived exertion in many endurance athletes, " he said.

But they and others find that as with any "habit-forming drugs, they eventually require more and more caffeine to achieve the same positive effects," Kearney said. "Most would agree that we should try to avoid exposing … children and adolescents to this phenomenon if possible."

Arizona Republic reporter Connie Midey contributed to this article.

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