Are energy drinks safe?

Manufacturers have a legal responsibility to ensure that a product is safe for its intended use and to warn consumers of any potential health risks associated with product usage.

One product of concern for some is the energy drink. In the journal Frontiers in Public Health, João Breda and colleagues reviewed data on the health risks of energy drinks. They concluded that health concerns are valid, and that consuming high levels of caffeine very quickly can cause negative health effects or “caffeine intoxication.” Those effects can include nausea, high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Some deaths have even been linked to energy drink consumption.

There are additional issues when the high-caffeine drinks are mixed with alcohol. “The consumption of high amounts of caffeine contained within energy drinks reduces drowsiness without diminishing the effects of alcohol resulting in a state of ‘wide-awake- drunkenness,’ keeping the individual awake longer with the opportunity to continue drinking,” the authors write in the journal.

For example, although Monster Beverage Corporation states that it’s energy drinks are safe, the company recently settled two wrongful death lawsuits which claimed that Monster Energy Drinks caused caffeine toxicity which led to fatal cardiac events and that Monster failed to warn consumers of the risks associated with high caffeine intake.

If you or a loved one has experienced heart problems after drinking energy drinks containing caffeine, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to explore your legal rights.