ENERGY DRINKS

1. ENERGY DRINKS By: Christine Moellinger and Daniel Hudnall

3. �I drink at least two energy drinks a day. They help keep me energized throughout the day. I usually drink one before and one after I work out. I don�t drink any soda or coffee, so energy drinks are the only form of caffeine I drink.�- Josh Vernon

4. MARKETING The energy drink is still part of a new and developing industry, the energy drink target market is different than in some of the other beverage industries. When energy drinks first arrived in the U.S. they were marketed primarily towards athletes. This shows that even initially energy drinks were directed at a select crowd, a group of people with specific interests. Although the consumer base for energy drinks has now expanded beyond that of simply athletes, the target market is still more particular than in other industries. http://energydrinks.factexpert.com/907-energy-drink-target-market.php.

5. �I hate energy drinks. They don�t hydrate your body properly, and they are bad for your heart. All they do is give you a sugar rush and then afterwards you crash. They are terrible for athletes, water is always the best, period.� � Ryan Barrick, Fire Saftey

6. A NEW DRINK The energy drink industry is a smart industry that is continually developing, expanding, and using innovative marketing techniques. As a whole, the industry caters to a younger market, and some energy drink brands aim their products towards health-conscious consumers. The primary targets for the majority of energy drink companies are male teenagers and young people, mostly in the 20s age bracket. The energy drink industry is not dominated by large, giant companies like the soft-drink industry, but instead characterized by stiff competition between an increasing number of smaller companies, all catering to a very select consumer base. http://energydrinks.factexpert.com/882-energy-drink-industry.php

8. FDA AND ENERGY DRINKS According to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should enforce stricter standards for �energy� drinks and other so-called functional foods, How The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should enforce stricter standards for �energy� drinks and other so-called functional foods, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). relates to your audience CSPI testified that some drinkers mistakenly rely on �energy� drinks to mitigate the effects of alcoholic beverage consumption. Drinkers may experience a placebo effect, and dangerously assume that they can drive a car, or drink even more alcohol without becoming further inebriated. http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm

9. �I usually drink energy drinks when I go to the library for a long night of studying, they help keep me going. I will also drink them sometimes when I�m tired. I like them a lot, and they don�t really cause any negative side effects on me.� � Jason Finnel, Junior Journalism Major

10. CSPI VS. FDA IN A GLANCE Rockstar energy drink: The label promises that after drinking the 16-oz. can, one can �party like a rockstar.� The beverage contains an �energy blend� of milk thistle (an herb investigated for treating cirrhosis), two forms of caffeine, ginkgo (an herb investigated for improving memory in Alzheimer patients), and taurine, an amino acid. Monster Energy drink: The beverage contains five types of added sugars (54g per 16-oz. can, about the same as a Coke), two sources of caffeine, and some natural enzymes and digestive acids. The label states �We went down to the lab and cooked up a double shot of our killer energy brew. It�s a wicked mega hit that delivers twice the buzz of a regular energy drink.� �To ensure safety and effectiveness, companies should be required to notify the FDA before adding novel ingredients to foods for purported health benefits,� said CSPI senior staff attorney Ilene Ringel Heller. http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm

11. �I love energy drinks. I start my morning out with one to get me going. I usually keep drinking them until I�m ready for bed. I started drinking them at the beginning of college, and since then I�ve gained 15lbs, but I don�t blame it on the �extra� sugar, I blame it on my extracurricular activities!� � Corey May, Fire Administration

12. The Make-up Caffeine: The most common stimulant, found in coffee, Coke and Mountain Dew. Found in much higher quantities in energy drinks. Most energy drinks contain between 70 and 200 mg. A 5 oz cup of coffee contains 110-150mg for drip, 65-125mg for percolated, and 40-80 mg for instant. Dr. Pepper gives you 61mg, and a can of Coke provides 50mg. Taurine: Taurine is an amino acid that your body naturally produces. It helps regulate heartbeat and muscle contractions, and energy levels. Guarana: Guarana comes from plants in South America. Amazonians have used it for a long time to increase alertness and energy. www.energyfiend.com/energy-drink-ingredients

13. �As a nutrition major, I usually try to limit my caffeine and sugar intake. I don�t normally consume energy drinks, or anything else packed with caffeine and sugar.� � Christine Estler, Senior Dietetics Major

14. The Make-up Ginseng: Ginseng, an adaptogenic herb, is known to increase energy, has some anti-fatigue components, and supposedly relieves stress. Ginseng is nothing that�s naturally created by your body, so having this in your drink certainly won�t hurt. 200mg/day seems to be the standard dose, but you can safely take up to 2700mg. Sugars: Glucose is the body�s preferred fuel. http://www.energyfiend.com/energy-drink-ingredients.com

15. �As a marathon runner I wouldn�t use an energy drink before a marathon, they give you a high but you don�t sustain that high very long.� � Wesley Bowles, Geography Major

16. �I think energy drinks are good for what they are supposed to do, they serve their purpose as an energy boost, but their high sugar content and addictive properties have consequences that make drinking them too risky for me.� � Kris Hammons

17. �They keep me ticking, and the crash isn�t even that bad.� � Greg Wriston

18. Energy Drinks and Alcohol Many people use energy drinks to counteract the effects of alcohol such as dizziness or drowsiness, but a new study has shown that their ability of actually counteracting the effects is misleading. People mixing alcohol and energy drinks have the impression that their skills are relatively unimpaired but in reality they are equally impaired. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Don-039-t-Mix-Energy-Drinks-with-Alcohol-20413.shtml

19. CSPI sues Anheuser-Busch and Miller Drinks such as Anheuser-Busch�s Bud Extra and Tilt, and Miller�s Sparks, have more alcohol than beer and contain stimulant additives that are not officially approved for use in alcoholic drinks, including caffeine, taurine, ginseng, or guarana. No studies are available to support the safety of consuming those stimulants and alcohol together�but new research does indicate that the young consumers of what CSPI calls �alcospeed� are more likely to binge drink, become injured, ride with an intoxicated driver, or be taken advantage of sexually than drinkers of conventional alcoholic drinks. http://www.cspinet.org/new/200802281.html

20. �People need to realize that something in a can could be thought of as a drug. A lot of people think that because you can buy something in a store it is automatically safe to consume. I definitely discourage drinking the energy drinks that are mixed with alcohol.� � Dr. John Grimes, Geography Professor

21. Our thoughts on Energy Drinks After researching energy drinks for this project we believe that the general public should be more informed on the consequences of alcoholic and non-alcoholic energy drinks.