The nightly news is full of reports of people who have bad effects or die from drinking Monster energy drinks and other drinks promoted as a way to boost your energy. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conducting investigations into several deaths that may be associated with Monster drinks. These energy drinks represent the fastest growing sector of the beverage market and, although not intended for minors, that group of pre-teens and teenagers represents the highest consumers of these popular drinks. Are monster energy drinks bad for you? Which ingredients bring the harmful effects?

1. Too High in Caffeine

The first strike against these drinks is that they are extremely high in caffeine. Each 16-ounce can contains 160 mg of caffeine. This is as much caffeine as is in one cup of coffee and twice as much caffeine as is recommended for older children and teenagers. Even for adults, the Mayo Clinic recommends daily intake of less than 500 mg of caffeine in a day’s time. More than this recommended amount can result in insomnia, tremors, abdominal pain, anxiety and extreme irritability. For a child or teenager who also drinks soft drinks or tea, the addition of one can of Monster Energy drinks can quickly put them over the maximum recommended daily amount.

2. Other Chemical Ingredients

The amount of caffeine in a Monster drink aside, there are also a number of other ingredients in that same can.

• First, each can of Monster drink contains between 5 and 6 teaspoons of simple sugars. These sugars make your energy and blood sugar levels soar very quickly, but your sugar and energy will also crash just as quickly. For a diabetic or anyone sensitive to sugar, this can be devastating.
• There is some amount of vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B12. These vitamins may help supplement the amount you get in your diet.
• There is a huge amount of Taurine in each can of Monster Energy drink. This amino acid helps regulate salt and water in the blood. Little is known about possible side effects of too much of this good thing.
• Sodium in one can of the drink is two times the amount in 20 ounces of Coca Cola. For anyone on a sodium restricted diet, this amount of added sodium can be deadly.
• Guaranine is a plant-based product that has effects that are very similar to caffeine including anxiety, heart palpitations and insomnia.
• Other chemicals in a can of Monster Energy drink are carnitine, inositol, maltodetrin and glucuronolactone.

As can be concluded, some ingredients help you boost energy while many other chemical ingredients can do harm to your body.