Many students at Morgan drink energy drinks such as Monster and Celsius. Are they actually good for you? According to a study from the National Library of Medicine, consuming energy drinks can cause increased heart rate and arterial blood pressure. Studies have also shown that drinking too much of energy drinks can cause serious, cardiac issues for consumers, such as ventricular arrhythmias, ST-segment elevation, and QT prolongation. They also found that people can experience caffeine intoxication from drinking 200 mg of energy drinks. Caffeine intoxication symptoms can include anxiety, insomnia, stomachaches, muscle twitching, restlessness, and being inexhaustible.

Due to the amount of sugar found in them, energy drinks can increase the rate of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The National Library of Medicine says that “the high sugar content in energy drinks may reduce the activity, diversity and gene expression of intestinal bacteria”. This can cause obesity and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a mix of biological and psychological irregularities that have to do with the growth of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

While energy drinks can be harmful, they have positives as well. The CDC documented that energy drinks contain caffeine, sugars, additives, and legal stimulants. Legal stimulants in energy drinks include guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine, which heighten alertness, attention, and energy. In a study that the National Library of Medicine conducted, 11 people who drank energy drinks were being tested in a driving simulator. The study found that lane drifting had a big improvement, and so did reaction times.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, registered dietician Julia Zumpano, reported that taurine (an ingredient commonly found in energy drinks) can cause vomiting, nausea, liver pain, stomach pain, and headaches. Healthline stated that “In one review of L-carnitine’s safety, doses of approximately 2 g per day appeared to be safe for long-term use. However, there were some mild side effects, including heartburn and indigestion.” Guarana contains chemicals like theophylline and theobromine. These chemicals can increase activity in the nervous system, heart, and muscles. There are also benefits; antioxidant effects, cancer prevention, and increased brain and heart health (verywellhealth).

Physical education and health teacher Pete Gersz doesn’t drink any energy drinks. He claims they are probably not very good for you because of their high sugar and artificial flavoring. Freshman Eva Morse doesn’t drink energy drinks either. She mentioned that she thinks they are okay to have once in a while or while working out. However, having them every day becomes excessive. Freshman Libby Burns says she drinks energy drinks about three times a week. She thinks they aren’t good for you because they have a lot of sugar and caffeine. Junior Meredith O’Brien, drinks energy drinks about five times a week. She explained that they aren’t good for you, but they’re also not terrible for you. The ingredients in some energy drinks are worse for you than others.