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Energy Drinks: Liquid Meth?

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Energy Drinks: Liquid Meth?
Walter Brodner
Prof. Geerling
ENC1101
5 February 2013
Energy Drinks: Liquid Meth? Over the last decade, drinks containing high amounts of caffeine, sugar, and other ingredients that increase energy have been rapidly growing in popularity. Clearly these beverages are known as energy drinks. Energy drinks have gotten so popular that it is extremely rare to find a convenience store that doesn’t sell a variety of them. Students use energy drinks to cram the night before a test, athletes use them to exercise, party animals mix them with alcohol to drink more than humanly possible, and some people just drink them to stay awake at work after a sleepless night. Red Bull, one of the most popular energy drinks in the market, claim to enhance productivity, concentration, energy and help handle stressful situations. It seemed these beverages were a godsend to overworked employees and sleep-deprived college students. But after a few deaths were linked to the drink, controversy arose. Apparently Red Bull gives you wings, but what other side-effects can these sugary, over-caffeinated drinks cause? Many people have been asking this question lately, wondering how harmful drinking them really is. Despite that consuming a large amount of the drink may be dangerous, as long as people drink energy drinks responsibly they are relatively safe.
Energy drinks have a lot in common with other popular drinks. All these drinks contain high amounts of sugar and caffeine. These drinks are consumed daily by millions of people, despite the caffeine and sugar content in the drinks. Many Americans have made a habit of getting together with friends or old acquaintances to drink coffee and catch up. The increasing number coffee shops prove that most Americans don’t have a problem with the distribution of coffee. In addition, sodas which also contain high amounts of sugar and caffeine are widely accepted. Some would even consider a person who throws a party without coke just cruel. Despite the



Cited: Benac, Nancy. "United States Food and Drug Administration signals crackdown on caffeinated alcohol drinks." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal 11 Jan. 2011: E47+. Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. "Caffeine may ease Parkinson 's symptoms." Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week 18 Aug. 2012: 158. Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. "Does Caffeine Reduce the Risk of Depression?" OB/GYN Clinical Alert 1 Jan. 2013. Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Liberatore, Stephanie. "Q: With the increasing popularity of energy drinks, I wonder-are these drinks safe? How do they affect teens?" The Science Teacher 76.2 (2009): 64. Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Meier, Barry. "Doctors Urge F.D.A. to Restrict Caffeine in Energy Drinks." New York Times 20 Mar. 2013: NA(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Apr. 2013

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