Harmful Drinks
By Amy Bernstein
Midterms, papers, work, classes, friends: there is only so much time in the day to fit everything into a busy schedule. When faced with a long night ahead, what are you most likely to chose: energy drinks or coffee?
"Even though I hate the way they taste, I always drink energy drinks when I have to pull an all-nighter," said Noelani Viloria, a senior psychology major. "They give me the most energy when I need it."
Even though college students may resort to energy drinks, drinking too many may not be the healthiest choice. On Friday, two U.S. senators called on federal regulators to close what they say are loopholes that allow energy-drink makers to sell products with additives and high levels of caffeine. The lawmakers say that these drinks have been proven unsafe.
The letter to the Food and Drug Administration from Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said they are investigating reports of five deaths from the consumption of Monster drinks.
Those claims say that people suffered adverse reactions after consuming Monster Energy Drink, which comes in 24-ounce cans and contains 240 milligrams of caffeine, seven times the caffeine in a 12-ounce can of traditional cola.
"I used to drink energy drinks," said senior Alyssa Strickland. "But my body can't handle it anymore."
In a letter Friday, Durbin and Blumenthal also cited a recent study in Consumer Reports that found several popular energy drinks contained significantly more caffeine than the listed amount, while others did not disclose the amount of caffeine they had.
The FDA caps the amount of caffeine in soda to 0.02 percent, but there is no such limit for energy drinks.
"I try to stay away from them," said senior Quin Adler. "You look at what's in them and you want to vomit."
Some students try to avoid energy drinks and stick to coffee or soda during all-nighters instead.
"I think (coffee) is better tasting than energy drinks," said senior Angie Zhu.
Durbin and Blumenthal asked the FDA to look into the interactions between caffeine and the additives that are often found in energy drinks. They also called on the agency to assess the risks associated with caffeine consumption by teens.
Earlier this week, Monster issued a statement saying that its products are and have always been safe. The statement came in response to a wrongful-death lawsuit filed in California by the parents of a 14-year-old girl who died of a heart attack after drinking two Monster Energy Drinks in 24 hours. The company said it does not believe its products are in any way related to her death.
Energy drinks, which are often marketed at surfing and skateboarding contests and other sporting event's concerts, have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. The top three companies - Monster, Red Bull and Rockstar - each logged double-digit sales-volume gains last year, according to Beverage Digest.
Shares of Monster Beverage, based in Corona, Calif. closed down nearly 3 percent at $45.86 last Friday. They have lost more than 30 percent in the past three months and fell to a 52-week low of $40.06 Tuesday of last week.
Contact Amy Bernstein at abernstein@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4948. AP Reports contributed to this article.