Energy Drinks and Alcohol

Energy drinks, as the name implies, are brewed to give you energy. But how much energy is too much?

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is no doctor but believes the caffeine levels in PRIME energy beverages are over the line and he’s calling for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate.

Schumer says the beverage is the new “summer status symbol” among young people, mainly due to the promotional efforts of social media influencers Logan Paul and KSI.

"But buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets," Schumer told the FDA.

The company that makes PRIME says it has taken steps to keep its product out of the hands of children. It says the label contains a warning that the beverage should not be consumed by people under the age of 18.

What is it about PRIME that has raised concern? Schumer says the company makes a hydration sports beverage with no caffeine but its marketing is very similar to PRIME, which contains about 200 milligrams of caffeine – about six times as much as in a 12-ounce can of Coke.

That sounds like a lot but according to the Mayo Clinic, most energy drinks contain 100 to 300 milligrams of caffeine per serving, although amounts can vary. Mayo researchers say up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered safe for most adults. But that’s adults.

Not for kids

Doctors are pretty much in agreement that energy drinks are not good for children, not just because of the heavy dose of caffeine but also the added sugar. In 2011 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) expressed concern that these products were being marketed to children.

“Sports drinks and energy drinks are significantly different products, and the terms should not be used interchangeably,” AAP wrote in a report. 

The authors said healthcare providers should encourage screening during annual physical examinations for sports and energy drink use, to understand the reasons why youth consumption is widespread, and to improve education aimed at decreasing or eliminating the inappropriate use of these beverages by children and adolescents.

The report concludes that children and adolescents can best boost their energy levels by maintaining a nutritious diet and getting plenty of sleep.

Energy drinks are popular with many young people but older folks might develop a taste for them too as the result of a new study.

Researchers writing in the journal Science have found that taurine, a supplement found in energy drinks as well as some other foods, may slow the aging process. Their study of animals who received taurine found it helped them live longer.

After determining that the amount of this semi-essential amino acid decreases in humans and animals as they age, the researchers wanted to find out if boosting taurine would help.

“Supplementation with taurine slowed key markers of aging such as increased DNA damage, telomerase deficiency, impaired mitochondrial function, and cellular senescence,” the study authors wrote. “Loss of taurine in humans was associated with aging-related diseases, and concentrations of taurine and its metabolites increased in response to exercise. Taurine supplementation improved life span in mice and health span in monkeys.”

Blood concentration of taurine declines with age in mice, monkeys, and humans. To investigate whether this decline contributes to aging, the researchers fed taurine or a control solution once a day to middle-aged, wild-type female and male mice until the end of their lives. 

The results

The mice that got the taurine, both male and female, lived longer than the mice that did not get the supplement. How much longer?

The scientists say the median life span of taurine-treated mice increased by 10% to 12%, and life expectancy at 28 months increased by about 18% to 25%. 

“A meaningful antiaging therapy should not only improve life span but also health span, the period of healthy living,” the researchers wrote. “We, therefore, investigated the health of taurine-fed middle-aged mice and found an improved functioning of bone, muscle, pancreas, brain, fat, gut, and immune system, indicating an overall increase in health span. We observed similar effects in monkeys.”

Other sources of taurine

You don’t have to consume energy drinks to get a boost of taurine. It’s also found in meat and fish. It’s also available in supplement form.

The Mayo Clinic advises that taurine, in certain amounts, is a safe ingredient in energy drinks. However, it cautions that energy drinks have other ingredients, such as caffeine, that may be problematic.

The big question, however, is whether taurine supplements will improve health or increase longevity in humans. The researchers say the next step is to conduct clinical trials using human subjects.

As always, any change in diet or supplement use should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Recent studies have found that many consumers have increased their alcohol intake over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that older consumers have adopted potentially dangerous drinking habits during the same time period. 

According to their findings, binge drinking has increased among older men over the last few years. However, older women’s drinking has stayed consistent over time. 

“Our study brings the most up-to-date findings on trends in binge drinking in older age, especially the unnoticed importance of understanding the unique demographic characteristics of binge drinking that differ in men and women given gender norms and expectations of societies that are consistently evolving,” said researcher Dr. Tala Al-Rousan. 

Tracking older consumers’ drinking habits

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 19,000 adults over the age of 65 enrolled in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2015 and 2019. Participants answered questions about how much they were drinking and how often they were drinking within the previous month. 

The researchers learned that there was a spike in binge drinking among older men in recent years. When the study began in 2015, under 13% of men were binge drinking; by 2019, that number jumped to nearly 16%. For the purposes of this study, binge drinking was defined for men as having five or more drinks at once, and for women as having four or more drinks. 

The study also suggests that different factors may contribute to the likelihood of women and men engaging in binge drinking. Across the board, using tobacco or cannabis was associated with greater alcohol use. Marital status solely impacted men’s binge drinking, whereas educational accomplishments impacted women’s drinking habits. 

“We noted an increased frequency in education among binge drinking older women,” Al-Rousan said. “Women with more education may have more opportunities to drink and may be less constricted by gender norms against women consuming alcohol.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings inspire health care professionals to discuss the potential risks associated with heavy alcohol use with their older patients. 

“Our findings would encourage health providers who care for older men and women with chronic conditions who are at risk of binge drinking to offer tailored messages that are targeted at certain chronic conditions,” Al-Rousan stated. 

Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have found that consumers have turned to alcohol to help manage their stress levels. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the Taylor and Francis Group has explored the long-term alcohol habits consumers have adopted during 2020. 

According to their findings, consumers are more likely to binge drink if they spend more time at home quarantining.

“Increased time spent at home is a life stressor that impacts drinking, and the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated this stress,” said researcher Sitara Weerakoon. 

More consumers turning to alcohol

To get an idea of how consumers across the country have used alcohol since the start of the pandemic, the researchers surveyed nearly 2,000 adults from mid-March through mid-April. Respondents reported on several life factors, including their current living situation, who they were home with every day, their job status, how long they had spent in lockdown, and their total alcohol consumption. 

The researchers learned that 34 percent of the participants were binge drinking while at home during lockdown, and the likelihood of binge drinking increased by nearly 20 percent for each week the participants were home. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), binge drinking is defined as men who consume five or more drinks in two hours and women who consume four or more drinks in that time. The researchers learned that the heaviest drinkers before the pandemic consumed as many as seven drinks in one sitting while at home during lockdown. 

The study also revealed that those who were binge drinkers before the pandemic were 60 percent more likely to increase their alcohol intake during stay-at-home orders, whereas those who were light drinkers before the pandemic were less than 30 percent as likely to drink more during quarantine. 

In terms of socioeconomic factors, the researchers learned that 70 percent of the participants who were the heaviest drinkers were also making higher-than-average salaries. 

Mental health plays a role

The study revealed an important mental health component that was associated with heavier drinking during the pandemic. According to the researchers, participants who had reported either currently or previously struggling with depression were more likely to binge drink during lockdown orders. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that more work is done to better understand the relationship between alcohol and depression so that support services are better tailored and made more widely available for those in need. 

“Future research should consider the potential for depressive symptoms acting as a moderator (a factor that changes the impact) in the relation between the time spent under a shelter-in-place mandate (lockdown) and binge drinking,” Weerakoon said. “Additional research is (also) needed to develop best treatment for people with substance use disorders who may be more susceptible to adverse health outcomes.”

As consumers’ thirst for carbonated beverages continues its decline, Pepsico, the maker of Pepsi and Mountain Dew, is moving to fortify its beverage portfolio with a major energy drink brand.

The food and beverage giant has announced the acquisition of Rockstar Energy Beverages for $3.85 billion. 

"As we work to be more consumer-centric and capitalize on rising demand in the functional beverage space, this highly strategic acquisition will enable us to leverage PepsiCo's capabilities to both accelerate Rockstar's performance and unlock our ability to expand in the category with existing brands such as Mountain Dew," said PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta. 

Pepsico already has a relationship with Rockstar because it distributes it to retailers along with the company’s other beverages. The acquisition improves Pepsico’s energy beverage position in relation to Coca-Cola, which owns a major stake in Monster Beverages.

"Over time, we expect to capture our fair share of this fast-growing, highly profitable category and create meaningful new partnerships in the energy space," Laguarta said.

Active lifestyle consumers

Rockstar has been around since its founding in 2001, marketing its product as a beverage for consumers who lead an active lifestyle, such as athletes. The company says its products come in over 30 flavors and are sold at convenience and grocery stores worldwide.

With the addition of Rockstar, PepsiCo's energy drink portfolio will include Mountain Dew's Kickstart, GameFuel, and AMP. Russ Weiner, Rockstar's founder, says the acquisition is the continuation of what he says has been a strong partnership since 2009.

"PepsiCo shares our competitive spirit and will invest in growing our brand even further,” he said. “I'm proud of what we built and how we've changed the game in the energy space." 

Energy beverages are formulated to increase mental alertness and physical performances for consumers by stepping up caffeine content, along with other additives like vitamins and herbal supplements. Energy drinks are especially popular among young consumers, making them attractive to legacy beverage manufacturers looking for long-term growth.

Health concerns

The products have been the subject of concern by health officials as they’ve grown in popularity. A 2019 study by researchers at the American Heart Association cautioned consumers to use the products in moderation.

The study found that drinking 32 ounces of an energy drink can affect the heart’s normal functioning and also dramatically shift consumers’ blood pressure.

“Energy drinks are readily accessible and commonly consumed by a large number of teens and young adults, including college students,” researcher Kate O’Dell said when the study was released. “Understanding how these drinks affect the heart is extremely important.”