A 12-ounce can of Prime Energy, which is being pitched as a healthy drink, contains the same amount of caffeine as two cups of coffee — an unhealthy amount for children and teens to be consuming. Energy drink sales surge, as do their caffeine levels:
Various energy drinks on a table in Lincoln, Neb., May 24, 2023.
Even Gatorade, which has long marketed beverages to athletes hoping to replenish lost fluids or electrolytes after strenuous exercise, is jumping into the caffeine arms race. This year, Gatorade released Fast Twitch, a sugar-free beverage in flavors like Strawberry Watermelon and Cool Blue — with caffeine levels equivalent to more than two cups of coffee.
For some young students, the Prime Energy drinks, which come in flavors like Strawberry Watermelon and Orange Mango, were delicious liquid gold. “Not long after drinking them, the students showed up in the health office saying they didn’t feel good and that their hearts were racing,” said Brown, who inserted a note in the school’s weekly email to parents saying the energy drinks should not be brought to school.
Studies have shown that consuming caffeine may have health benefits, but that too much could result in cardiovascular and gastric issues. The Food and Drug Administration has investigated a handful of reports over the years involving people dying shortly after consuming energy drinks or five-hour energy shots. But the agency has never established a link between the two, a spokesperson for the FDA said in a response to emailed questions.
But critics say some energy drinks are clearly marketed toward younger customers. Last year, the consumer advocacy group Truth in Advertising said companies like C4 Energy, which sells drinks in flavors like Starburst and Skittles, and Ghost Energy, which sells Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish-flavored drinks that contain more caffeine than two cups of coffee, were trying to appeal to minors.
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