Explainer: How energy drinks are giving a boost to health concerns

It’s Sunday morning and a wellness club has organised a walkathon. Doling out energy drinks at the event is a popular energy drink brand. A can costs Rs 125 and most youngsters are happily grabbing the freebie. But 21-year-old Ravnoor Singh, who once was hooked to these energy drinks, is not tempted. It took this Chandigarh-based web designer many months of self-control to overcome his addiction, that had begun to take a toll on his health.“I started having energy drinks two years back. These were trending; influencers were promoting them. I loved the taste and the energy boost it gave. Soon, I was banking on these to remain awake all night, be it for my studies or work. However, I was sleeping less than two hours despite a physically active day. The seriousness of the issue dawned on me when I couldn’t sleep properly for nearly two months. Besides insomnia, I was facing issues like anxiety, palpitations and high blood pressure. It’s been more than a year since I stopped having these and my mental and physical health are much better.”It’s a pattern that’s not confined to urban areas. In Uppali village in Sangrur district of Punjab, the panchayat has issued a complete ban on the sale of energy drinks. Sarpanch Jangir Singh justifies the move: “We found out that many young children were getting hooked to energy drinks. They would start having these red-coloured drinks from early in the morning. Experts have been warning about the long-term health consequences. These drinks were becoming a gateway to drug addiction as many addicts were mixing narcotics for a stronger kick. That’s when we decided to completely ban these.”Recently, the Punjab Government banned energy drinks in school canteens, tuck shops and commercial establishments located within 100 metres of school premises in rural areas and 50 metres in urban areas. This was a fallout of concerns that business operators were aggressively selling the energy drinks to children, despite product labels clearly stating these are ‘not recommended for children’.Most energy drinks that come in 250 ml cans contain high amounts of caffeine, which can range from 80 mg to 150 mg, with some having as much as 300 mg per serving. Promising enhanced alertness and performance, the energy drinks are often packed with high levels of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Among the added stimulants are taurine, guarana, and L-carnitine. A growing body of research is linking excessive consumption of high caffeine energy drinks to increasing risks of stroke and heart attacks, besides gastrointestinal and renal disorders.According to a research published by the National Library of Medicine, US, an increased intake of caffeinated drinks may cause arrhythmia or irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure and even seizures. A study by the University of Rochester, New York, has found links of taurine, a common additive, to the growth of leukemia.“Energy drinks taken in excess stimulate the brain and the autonomic system, leading to increased heart rate, high sense of alertness, therefore reduced sleep, jitteriness and dehydration. This can translate into high blood pressure and heart problems, symptoms of anxiety,” says Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru.Despite the red flags, India’s energy drinks market is projecting a double-digit growth. Valued at $35.1 million in FY2024, it is expected to touch $156.2 million by FY2032. Globally popular Red Bull holds more than 60 per cent market share, followed by others like Cloud 9, Sting, Monster Energy, Burn, Hell, Charged, etc.While initially energy drinks mainly targeted high-performance sportspersons, manufacturers have shifted their focus to teens and young adults. Besides smarter packaging, brands often use aggressive marketing.Dr Manojkumar Rohit, Professor, Department of Cardiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, shares, “While intake of energy drinks is not recommended for children, a healthy adult can have up to one or two cans in a day. More than that can cause heart issues like arrhythmia, and may even lead to severe cardiac arrest. Individuals suffering from underlying heart conditions like blockage should not have these drinks. Also, these drinks can turn toxic if combined with alcohol.”Advising families to watch out for the symptoms of caffeine intoxication, Dr Pratima says, “Take note if children are jittery, restless, anxious, appear hyper-alert but cannot concentrate, have a rapid beating heart, increased blood pressure, frequent urination, nausea, muscle twitching, diarrhoea and headache. These symptoms may be due to anxiety from many other causes; nevertheless, such children need immediate attention, especially if it is known that they have consumed energy drinks.”Very high caffeine consumption can cause severe agitation, paranoid behaviour, confusion, fainting and seizures and even hallucinations, she adds.Another fast-growing segment in the grey zone is nutraceutical beverages — protein shakes, immunity boosters, herbal extracts, etc. Being marketed as safer, even beneficial, alternatives, these are occupying supermarket aisles as health foods. “While simple protein supplements are not harmful, be cautious if these contain high sugar levels, unproven herbal additives and steroids,” says Dr Manoj.

Explainer: How energy drinks are giving a boost to health concerns

Seema Sachdeva

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