As the first bell rings, a sharp crack! reverberates throughout your first period classroom. Your head turns to your classmate, who takes a sip from his Red Bull. You stare down at the can of Monster Energy sitting on your desk, which apparently holds the secret to fueling your body, reaching your goals, and pursuing victory. Raising the can to your lips, you let the liquid flow through your mouth, trickle down your throat, and settle in your stomach. Then it hits. You feel…like you can do anything—at least for the next five hours.
Riddled with stress and worn out from the never-ending strain of balancing schoolwork, sports, and other extracurriculars, many teens turn to energy drinks for an extra boost. At the crack of dawn, they crack their cans and let the caffeine flow through their veins and invigorate their bodies to feel the low thrum of frenetic energy that pushes them through each period.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that teens should have no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day, but the average energy drink contains around 200 milligrams of caffeine—twice the amount recommended for teen consumption. When mixed with sugar and other additives like guarana, taurine, L-carnitine, and L-tartrate, the nervous system can be sent into overdrive. Over time, excessive consumption of energy drinks has been linked to health issues, including heart disease, fatty liver disease, and high blood pressure.
Knowing the harmful effects these drinks may have on our bodies, why do we reach for them? Simple answer. The most popular brands among teens—Red Bull, Celsius, and Monster Energy—have two main things in common: alluring branding and electrifying flavors. Together, these ingredients combine to create a tantalizing beverage for teenagers.
In 1987, Red Bull coined the slogan “Red Bull Gives You Wings.” Since then, these five words have attracted and uplifted consumers, giving them the energy boost they need to achieve their goals. From creating racing teams to record labels, Red Bull has extended their influence beyond energy drinks. They sponsor athletes, dancers, and gamers—people that embody success and glory. Similarly, Celsius promotes a culture of fitness with their “Live Fit” motto, while Monster Energy collaborated with Call of Duty for a promotion, both of which push forward values of strength and a “never back down” mentality.
All of these energy drink companies deliberately promote the idea of achieving excellence with their products. Rather than simply selling a beverage, they offer an experience. These drinks have become more than a carefully crafted concoction to keep us awake through first period—they have transformed into a reflection of who we aspire to be as people.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens have resonated with this message, with 30–50% of teens reporting consuming energy drinks. Considering where we are in our lives, it is a reasonable response. We are in the process of developing a sense of self-identity. We crave individualism and freedom. And these energy drinks give us just that.
With crafty marketing like this, it is easy to turn a blind eye to their harmful effects on our bodies. Red Bull—like many other energy drinks—may appear to help us soar through our daily lives. But behind the thrill of flying, these drinks only give us makeshift wings and a fleeting burst of energy. Their animated advertisements only capture the thrill of the drink while masking the underlying health effects.
As we learn how to nurture our minds and bodies, we must remember to put our health first. It is easy to fall into the trap of drinking what everyone else is drinking, including our favorite racers and gamers. Still, it is imperative that we look beyond the allure of flashy advertisements and the promise of excellence. We don’t need energy drinks to be capable of achieving everything we aspire to be and more.
