To Drink, Or Not to Drink: Energy Drinks

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If I could write a love letter to CELSIUS energy drinks, I would. During long nights spent studying for midterms, they were always by my side. My workouts have become more intense without leaving me drained, and early mornings feel far more manageable with an ice-cold CELSIUS in hand.

I’ll admit that my energy drink habit started earlier than most. Yet, I’ve noticed that the same friends who once criticized me for drinking them have recently started indulging as well. This trend extends beyond CELSIUS, whether it’s Alani Nu, Red Bull, or any other brand; energy drinks seem to be winning everyone over.

I began to wonder: if the same people who used to steer clear of the harmful contents in energy drinks have now given in, how bad can they really be?

What Makes Energy Drinks “Bad” For You?

You’ve probably heard family members or seen posts on social media warning that energy drinks are unhealthy. At first, those claims might shock you or even make you consider giving them up entirely.

But sooner or later, most of us fall back into old habits and start indulging again. This cycle tends to repeat until we finally decide to do the research ourselves. So, how “bad” are they really?

According to an article published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), high consumption of energy drinks can increase heart activity and stress responses, leading to elevated glucose and norepinephrine levels. In some cases, serious heart issues, such as irregular heartbeats, heart attacks, and fainting, have been reported even in healthy young individuals.

You might be wondering, if caffeine is the main ingredient in energy drinks, what makes them any worse than a cup of coffee? While caffeine is the key stimulant responsible for these effects, it’s often the higher dosage found in energy drinks that can lead to irregular heart rhythms and high blood pressure.

Additionally, the NIH observed that excessive caffeine intake from energy drinks may affect women’s ovarian function, which plays a key role in fertility. While the exact effects aren’t fully understood, the findings suggest that energy drinks could impact reproductive health more than we realize.

Why Should We Care?

My roommate, Addy, used to avoid energy drinks altogether. However, once she started rowing in college, she needed something to get her through early morning practices in addition to her demanding course load.

Addy has always been health-conscious, especially since coming to FSU. So, when it comes to finding the best energy drinks, she looks for low-sugar options. Recently, she’s been drinking Positive Energy drinks because of their clean, performance-boosting ingredients.

So, Now What?

When I started researching energy drinks and their ingredients, I didn’t expect to fall this deep into a rabbit hole. Each new search led me to another study examining a different “natural” ingredient, all with strong effects on the body. So, what does all this mean?

Based on my findings, energy drinks affect everyone differently. The best way to stay healthy is to consult with your healthcare provider and pay attention to how your body responds to changes.

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