Wake-Up to Your Energy Drink

Every now and then people need a little help to ‘boost their energy’. To the rescue comes the ‘energy drink’ (e.g., Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, and more recently Prime). It is an invigorating, non-alcoholic drink, but one that usually contains high levels of sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants to create its effect. Energy drinks have become increasingly popular in the past decade, especially among young adults (ages 18-30), teenagers (13-17), and even children (under 13). However, ingredients of these drinks, particularly caffeine, can make them harmful to the health of young consumers, more so to the adolescents. Part of the problem, it seems, is a lingering confusion of the children and youth, as well as their parents, between sports drinks and energy drinks.

Energy drinks are marketed as physical and mental enhancers that ‘work’ through a composition of sugar, caffeine and other stimulant additives, among them guarana, taurine, ginseng, L-Carnitine, and yohimbine (i.e., types of plant extracts or herbs, amino acids and vitamin-like substances) [1,2]. They are promoted as fun and friendly drinks that can reduce the user’s fatigue (give an ‘energy boost’) and improve his or her mood (‘pick me up’). The energy drink has been adopted as a solution, for example, to keep up tired students studying late at night for an exam or preparing a paper for class the next day.

In the earlier days of energy drinks (e.g., Red Bull in the 1990s-2000s), they were suggested as a substitute for alcoholic drinks (e.g., beer, spirits), especially in late evening parties; a key advantage often cited was that the drink can keep the young consumer feel energetic and in a joyful mood, yet be allowed to drive home later because he or she was free of alcohol. The effects of alcohol could be missing when having the drink, but other effects could emerge, including adverse effects on one’s behaviour (e.g., sensation-seeking behaviour which may result in taking uncalculated risks). Nevertheless, it has become apparent that young people were actually using energy drinks for improving their mood (‘pick me up’ in parties) frequently with alcoholic drinks, as mixers for spirits [3].

Medical specialists (e.g., Pediatrics) and dietitians warn about a number of health risks, physical and mental, associated with energy drinks. The more common risks concern cardiovascular medical conditions which can manifest in adverse events in higher-risk individuals, particularly kids (under 13) and those with prior illnesses. However, other risks not to underestimate are neuropsychological effects, and diseases of the liver and kidney. Damages may develop following acute consumption or continuous use over an extended period of time, including in adults [1].

More specifically, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), energy drinks increase alertness, attention, and energy, yet they also increase blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. Furthermore, the CDC warn of the harmful effects energy drinks can have on the nervous system of young students [4]. Other risks include insomnia (sleep disruption), anxiety and dehydration; cardiovascular-related effects may involve heart complications (according to CDC), particularly heart palpitations and/or increased heart rate (Ponce, MD Pediatrics at Arnold Palmer Hospital) [2,4]. These effects could be more severe and even dangerous to consumers, the younger they are (i.e., children are at the greatest risk). Attention is also drawn to adverse behaviours that may be induced in adolescents as consequence of consuming higher levels of caffeine and other stimulants, such as sensation-seeking and self-destructive behaviours, and other problems with behaviour regulation (Gipp, a dietitian specialist for children) [3].

Consumption of a high level of sugar (glucose) can be primarily damaging to children (e.g., diabetes) [2]. The high levels of caffeine and other stimulants can be responsible for the range of other problems cited above. Whereas sports drinks may also contain a high level of sugar additive for revitalizing the users, they do not contain other stimulants as in energy drinks, and this difference needs to be stressed out. Sports drinks are intended for recovering after a workout and for rehydration [2]. The caffeinated energy drink together with the other stimulating additives may cause the opposite effect of dehydration.

Hence, energy drinks are designated for quite different purposes or occasions than sports drinks (such as Gatorade). The difference in purpose is often reflected in advertising those drinks, linking sports drinks more with the mainstream sports branches versus energy drinks that are more associated with forms of extreme sports (i.e., stronger sensation, greater risk-taking) [5]. Yet, this distinction between the two types of drinks is not on top of consumers’ minds, is not clear enough, or is too often forgotten. Adolescents could be encouraged by advertising and sports sponsorships to consume the energy drinks [3]. Marketers of the energy drinks do not have too much interest in elucidating the blurred lines between the drinks. The CDC on their part stress the need to educate consumers on the difference between energy drinks and sports drinks (e.g., coaches to athletes) [4].

A public debate on energy drinks emerged once again following the launch of the Prime Energy drink, earlier in 2023. The Prime brand of drinks is an initiative of social media influencers Logan Paul and KSI (ex-boxers), created a year before. Their first drink, launched in the beginning of 2022, was Prime Hydration, offered primarily as a sports drink, fruit-flavoured and caffeine-free. However, Prime Energy has been described as an ultra-caffeinated drink, and thus has become controversial, especially considering its consumption by teenagers and children. Concerns about energy drinks are known for quite a while, as described above, yet Prime Energy led to exacerbating the criticism of the drink.

Even if the brand were not targeting the Prime Energy drink explicitly at teenagers and children, its marketing still lacks a warning about its high caffeine content [6]. Surprisingly, in a video clip on YouTube Paul and KSI, comparing the Hydration and Energy drinks, suggest that Prime Energy is even sugar-free (while Hydration contains 2 grams of sugar). Excluding sugar may sound good, unless it means that the drink ‘compensates’ for it by containing more caffeine with its harmful effects, particularly to children.

The Hydration version is packed in plastic bottles whereas Energy is packed in cans — this is an important factor in facilitating distinction by the consumers between the drinks. On the other hand, similarity in colours of packing (according to flavours) may water-down the differentiation. It has been argued (a CNN report) that consumers are not made properly aware of the difference between the bottled Hydration drink and the canned Energy drink. Furthermore, parents do not know about the drink promoted on social media that their kids crave for [6]. The ‘comparative’ video cited above should have helped in answering to the claims about lack of explanation of the differences between the types of drink. However, the clip is very brief, fast, and gives minimal information (satisfying a short attention span but lacking in depth of explanation). It certainly does not include any kind of warning about implications of inclusion of caffeine (at any level) in the Prime Energy drink. Rather, it gives the impression that the drinks are ‘balanced’ alternatives, and the Energy drink is advantageous in being sugar-free and containing fewer calories.

Marketing of energy drinks, as well as sports drinks, is focused on TV advertising in channels that appeal to teenagers (themes of music, sports & extreme sports), and on digital marketing, including social media campaigns. The marketing video content usually shows common people consuming the drink and celebrities [5]. Similarity in characteristics of the marketing content for energy and sports drinks probably weakens the ability of consumers, especially youth, to tell the difference between them.

The marketing of Prime drinks furthermore emphasises communication via social media platforms, where the younger consumers spend more of their time (e.g., for entertainment, socialising, receiving information). The style, tempo, visuals and language, are all adjusted accordingly to fit the young target audience (which seems to be of ages under 24). It can be seen in a number of video clips found on YouTube, including the one cited above, and also in this additional video example, promotion for Ice Pop Prime (a guy is sneaking from a store with a tray of Prime bottles to taste the drink outside, a girl takes one can from him, tastes it and runs off with it).

• This video titled I Started A Drink Company With KSI – YouTube features the announcement of the launch of Prime (Hydration) drink in September 2021 by Logan Paul with KSI — it is in fast pace, energetic; fooling around; presenting bottles in different colours; the clothing of the presenters would appeal to the designated target consumers; but in a moment of seriousness Logan Paul explains their motive and how they are aiming high (which they will have acted on a year later).

Energy drinks can provide a satisfying boost to energy and mood, revitalising the consumer at the right moment, if consumed in an appropriate occasion and volume. Yet, the health hazards in these drinks have to be kept in mind, and they better not be consumed for purposes that are more fit for sports drinks. There is little utility in using different kinds of packs (bottle vs. can) for distinguishing the drinks if consumers do not understand its meaning or the reason behind it. These cautions should be adhered to especially by young adults; the energy drinks are much less suitable for teenagers, and to be avoided by children. Education about differences between sports and energy drinks, and when to consume them, should be expanded, therefore, beyond young adults (e.g., students, athletes), to teenagers and children (e.g., at school, in activities of youth movements), as well as to parents.

Notes:

[1] “Red Alert on Energy Drinks: Severe Health Risks for Kids and Teens“, Chinta Sidharthan (PhD in Evolutionary Biology), News Medical & Life Sciences, 30 May 2023

[2] “Why Children Should Avoid Energy Drinks“, Pamela A. Ponce (MD Pedietrics), Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children), 21 July 2020

[3] “Energy Drinks and Young People“, BDA (The Association of UK Dieticians), an article by Annabel Gipp (specialist pediatric dietitian — eating disorders, nutrition), originally published in February 2018 (viewed 31 July 2023)

[4] “The Buzz on Energy Drinks“, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in section on Healthy Schools, viewed 31 July 2023.

[5] Based on: “Content Analysis of Sports and Energy Drink Advertising”, Amy Bleakly, Morgan E. Ellithorpe, Amy B. Jordan, Michael Hennessy, & Robin Stevens, Appetite, 174, July 2022 (summary in Science Direct)

[6] “What Is Prime Energy, Logan Paul’s Controversial Energy Drink?“, Jordan Valinski, CNN Business, 10 July 2023