A January study calling for more stringent warning labels on energy drinks has rekindled a national dialogue about the beverages' health risks. At Dartmouth, a College dietician has also expressed concern about selling energy drinks, and some students who regularly use energy drinks acknowledged a need for labeling.
A study published in the January 2009 edition of Drug and Alcohol Dependence recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration require more stringent labeling for energy drinks, citing fears that unregulated consumption may lead to negative health consequences. According to current FDA regulations, energy-drink manufacturers must label drinks as containing caffeine, but do not have to specify the exact amount.
The study, published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, also voiced concerns that unregulated consumption of energy drinks will increase the prevalence of caffeine-related disorders. These complications include caffeine intoxication, dependence and withdrawal. Caffeine intoxication, which results from excess consumption of caffeine, can cause anxiety, increased heart rate, vomiting and death.
Excess consumption of energy drinks may also lead to cardiac arrest. Researchers at Port Macquarie Base Hospital in New South Wales, Australia determined that consumption of caffeine- and taurine-containing energy drinks, as well as strenuous physical activity, contributed to a fatal heart attack in a 28-year-old male patient in 2007.
Beth Rosenberger, registered dietician and manager of Novack Cafe, said she was initially reluctant to stock energy drinks in Novack because of the public debate surrounding the beverages' potential health risks and because the drinks' caffeine content is not clearly labeled. Novack began selling energy drinks in 2006.
Rosenberger said she discussed her reservations about energy drinks at an initial meeting with her superiors at Dartmouth Dining Services before the drinks were introduced and that her concerns have "come up for discussion" since then.
"We discussed possible health concerns, but we ultimately decided to let the students make their own decisions," she said. "I would hope that the people who really need to be careful are careful, such as students with heart conditions."
John Turco, director of Dartmouth Health Services, said he does not believe energy drinks present a significant risk to the average college student, although some ingredients in energy drinks may have unknown effects.
"Things like [energy drinks] don't have to be FDA-approved because they don't have any significant amounts of ingredients that can hurt you," Turco said. "But I don't think you can be 100-percent sure, and if you don't consume them, you eliminate all risk."
Charlene Bradley, nursing director at Dick's House, said College Health Services has treated several students for the effects of consuming large amounts of caffeine.
Steve Schiraldi '10, a self-described "fan" of energy drinks, said he had once experienced some of the negative effects of consuming large amounts of caffeine when he accidentally drank more caffeine than he had intended.
"Once I had five BooKoo shots in two hours while I was studying," he said. "They tasted good, so I kept drinking them. I could feel my heart pounding in my head for the next five hours."
Schiraldi said he had a sense that some energy drinks were stronger than others, but was generally unsure about the exact amount of caffeine they contained. BooKoo energy shots contain 180 milligrams of caffeine per can. Schiraldi said he never would have ingested so many BooKoos in such a short period of time if he had realized that drinking five energy shots of BooKoo -- each of which contains 180 milligrams of caffeine -- was equivalent to consuming nine cups of coffee -- which contain about 100 milligrams of caffeine per cup .
Other students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they were unaware that energy drinks were unregulated.
"I just thought everything had to be approved by the FDA," Angel Castillo '10 said, adding that he consumes energy drinks "regularly."
Castillo said he supported the idea of labeling, but was unsure if it would affect student consumption at the College.
"I feel like [labeling] is not going to change student habits," he said. "There's such a 'work hard, party hard' mentality here. People will just drink them even if they know it's bad."
Energy drinks remain a popular topic of conversation on e-mail lists for college health professionals, Rosenberger said. While dieticians at many colleges have discussed banning the sale of the beverages in college dining halls, none have chosen to implement such a rule. Rosenberger said she did not foresee implementing a ban at the College because of student demand for the drinks.
Novack, which began selling energy drinks in response to student requests, currently stocks Full Throttle Blue Demon and NOS Powershots. Energy drinks are also sold at Topside convenience store.
"I see how popular these beverages truly are," Rosenberger said.
