By first hour, some students are already cracking open their second can of Celsius and Alani, even as doctors warn that the growing teen dependence on energy drinks may come with serious health consequences.
Marketed as dietary supplements, their health implications are significant, especially for teenagers. Energy drink sales have risen by 47% between 2016 and 2021, according to a University of Oregon business report. Meanwhile, countries like the U.K. have banned sales of energy drinks to children under 16 due to health concerns. Many students say they’ve been drinking energy drinks since a young age, which can worsen their long-term health effects.
“When I was like six or seven, my sisters let me try theirs,” junior NaFehna Farve said. “There’s coffee huts where you can get Red Bull blended, kind of like what they have at Dutch bros, but better.”
Amid increased stress and responsibility in high school, many students turn to caffeine for an extra boost of energy. Others say energy drinks are popular more for their reputation than their effect, from the eye-catching packaging to the hype surrounding brands like Alani.
“I think they’re more like an addiction than they actually do help you,” senior Aliya Kyle said. “It’s just like the concept that it’s an energy drink, so that’s why people buy it.”
But that ‘boost’ can come with serious downsides. Many teens report side effects such as fatigue, headaches, and sleep problems.
“When I first started drinking them, it honestly made me more tired, which is weird,” Farve said. “Now it makes me unable to sleep.”
While students have seen warnings about energy drinks online, many aren’t worried about the effects.
“I’ve seen people in the Tiktok comment section saying, you’re gonna get a heart attack from that. But like, I honestly don’t really care,” Kyle said. “I mean, it’s bad, and I know it happens, but it hasn’t happened to me, and I don’t plan on drinking that much to where that would happen.”
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, teens ages ten to 18 should limit caffeine intake to a maximum of 100 milligrams per day. Many energy drinks are well above this limit, containing more than 150 mg of caffeine per can.
“I drink them so constantly that after three days of not drinking it, I get headaches, so I have to drink them,” Kyle said.
Despite knowing the associated risks, many students continue to drink them.
“Energy drinks are not healthy because they cause a lot of problems with your body,” junior Niyah McCray said. “But me, personally, I’m gonna keep drinking them.”
