Energy drinks are known for giving a boost whenever needed, but they may have some fatal side effects.
Recently, Monster energy drinks have been linked to five fatalities and one non-fatal heart attack in teenagers, according to reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating.
The FDA began investigating these incidences after discovering a 14-year old girl’s death, supposedly due to the highly caffeinated beverages.
Anais Fournier, from Riverside, Calif., died from cardiac arrhythmia because of the caffeine toxicity apparently caused by drinking two 24-oz. Monster’s.
The other cases reach back to 2004, and the FDA states these reports do not absolutely determine Monster’s guilt in the aforementioned deaths or injuries.
Shelly Burgress, a spokesperson for the FDA, said the organization takes any report of death or injury seriously.
Penn State U. Research Technologist Dr. Jacqueline Vernarelli, in the Food Sciences department, said the energy drinks have a lot of caffeine and the same health effects as regular sodas.
“If you are drinking [Monster], rapid heart rate may occur and cause constrictions in the blood vessels,” Vernarelli said. “Because of these blood vessels constricting, it makes it more difficult for the blood to travel through [the] smaller space and thereby causing the higher blood pressure.”
Vernarelli said the effects of Monster are comparable to something like coffee. She said regular coffee ranges from roughly 90 to 130 milligrams of caffeine and drip coffee around 120 to 175 milligrams.
One 24-oz. can of Monster contains 80 milligrams of caffeine per 8-oz. serving and 240 milligrams for the entire can, Vernarelli said.
“Anyone that is sensitive to caffeine needs to be responsible,” she said. “We just need to be more conscious of what we are eating and drinking, and too much of anything is not a good thing.”
PSU sophomore Segun Muse said the girl’s passing is “terrible,” and there should be an investigation on the drink.
He said Monster does not do enough to make its consumers better aware of the health risks that come with their products. However, he said it is up to the consumers to research what they put into their bodies.
PSU senior Shae Madaus said ultimate responsibility lies with parents. He said it is the parent’s responsibility to monitor their young child.
“People should become more aware of the short term and long term effects of drinking energy drinks,” he said. “The company needs to make better disclaimers and, if anything, they should just put an 8 percent sin tax on these drinks like they do cigarettes.”