Dangerous Energy Drinks?

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Lorraine Rivera - View Bio

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Energy drinks are a booming business. Americans spent $744 million on them in one year alone. They're already banned in several countries, including Denmark, Italy, Norway and Sweden, but in the U.S., the drinks are marketed to our youth. So what's the risk?

With names like Rock Star, Red Bull and Monster, teens are drawn to energy drinks. "I was really curious about them," 17-year old Orin said.

18-year-old Ryan said that he used to down eight energy drinks a day, "I'd come to school with like three or four, and by lunch, they'd be gone."

Dr. Peter Antevy says energy drinks are especially harmful to the still-growing teenage brain. "The FDA went ahead and approved these drinks with ingredients that have never really been looked at," said Dr. Antevy, pediatric emergency room physician at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida.

An eight-ounce cup of coffee averages 85 milligrams of caffeine. One energy drink has up to 500 milligrams. "Imagine the high you get and the crash that ensues quickly after that," explained Dr. Antevy.

Energy drinks also contain taurine, guarana, mega-doses of B vitamins and a potent "energy blend", all of which can increase heart rate. Dr. Antevy says the mixture can cause serious heart problems, even death. Consuming too many energy drinks has also been linked to anxiety and high blood pressure.

"I think that these drinks should be banned in the U.S. They should not allow these companies to put that amount of caffeine in a drink," Dr. Antevy added.

Ryan kicked his habit after he clocked his resting heart rate at 117 beats per minute. A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100. "I was actually very scared. I thought I was sort of like having a heart attack," Ryan said.

The drinks may keep them energized, but teens might want to think about the dangers before they take another sip. Experts say the drinks can be especially dangerous when mixed with alcohol.