Energy drinks not as dangerous as once thought

It’s finals week at Pitt — and thanks to energy drinks, students are staying awake for it.

… It’s finals week at Pitt — and thanks to energy drinks, students are staying awake for it.

But there’s good news for those looking for a quick burst of energy to survive another late-night finals cramming session: those caffeinated, carbonated, sugary energy drinks might not be so bad for your health.

‘I don’t see any really big health concern with them,’ said Niccole Larsen, a post-doctoral associate who teaches Brain and Behavior with Pitt’s neuroscience department. ‘There’s nothing to suggest that they’re really that bad.’

Often featuring a blend of caffeine and herbal ingredients, energy drinks have gained popularity with their promise to improve attention, endurance and concentration among drinkers.

With an industry-high of $3.7 billion in sales in 2008, the drinks are on the rise among consumers — and Pitt students are also buying in.

‘I’ve been drinking Amp lately because coffee is just not cutting it anymore,’ said senior Ashley Houck, a biology major. ‘I feel like it’s probably an imaginary thing in my head, but after a certain point, [coffee] just doesn’t seem to work.’

The average 8-ounce energy drink contains 70 to 90 milligrams of caffeine ‘- less than half the amount found in a typical 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee.

But that doesn’t mean that the drinks’ effects are imaginary.

Caffeine is a stimulant that works in the brain to block the reception of adenosine, a chemical associated with drowsiness, said Anthony Grace, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry.

‘You’re actually blocking the transmitter systems of the brain that tell you you’re tired and need to sleep,’ he said. ‘It gives you the energy and motivation to stay awake.’

Grace said that by causing general anxiety ‘- including increased heart rate and blood pressure ‘- caffeine might help boost alertness when studying, especially if used in moderation.

A recent study by the American Academy of Neurology additionally linked the stimulant to neuroprotective qualities, stating that caffeine might lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

‘But like all these things, there’s a bell-shaped curve,’ said Grace. ‘A little bit [of caffeine] makes it better, but a lot makes it worse.’

Grace said people might develop a physiological tolerance to caffeine if used regularly, requiring more caffeine to achieve the same level of stimulation.

Pitt junior Aubrey Roos said she uses energy drinks to stay focused when studying for finals, but not in excess.

‘I drink them once or twice a week close to finals,’ said the environmental studies major. ‘Some people have them for breakfast.’

But Roos said that when it comes to her sugar-free Rockstar Energy Drink, she buys the drink because of its taurine and green tea extracts, not for the caffeine rush.’

Many energy drinks feature various blends of herbal ingredients, such as Monster Energy’s ‘energy blend’ and Full Throttle’s ‘Full Throttle blend,’ which both contain undisclosed amounts of ginseng, taurine and guarana.

The effects and nutritional value of many such herbal additives are unknown, said Larsen, because most are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

‘People can claim that they do X, Y and Z, and that’s it,’ she said. ‘They’re not regulated by the FDA ‘- not even a little bit.’

Larsen said that because some herbal supplements are not monitored, energy drink bottlers are not required to include potential warning labels or list the amounts of such additives on cans.

Despite the lack of FDA regulation, Larsen said that energy drinks are no reason for concern. For example, many contain ginseng, which works in the same way as caffeine, and some include B12 vitamins, which do not provide much of an energy boost.

‘It’s nothing so profound that we can say, ‘Stay away from these things,” she said. ‘I think that most of them are mild. They seem to be pretty safe.’

Senior Andrew Hryckowian, who was studying with Houck at 2 a.m. in the Cathedral of Learning, said the energy boost far outweighs any minimal health risks associated with energy drinks.

‘The cans seem to say, ‘Buy this if you want to stay awake!” said the microbiology major. ‘It works out pretty well.’

Houck agreed.

Her can of Amp Energy was still half full, but she said she planned to finish it.

‘I need it to stay awake and study,’ she said. ‘Otherwise, I’d be sleeping right now.’