Study: Some energy drinks list inaccurate caffeine content
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There is no secret to why energy drinks give you a boost; caffeine is one of the key ingredients in these drinks.
But it can be hard to determine just how much caffeine one can contains, according to a new round of tests conducted by Consumer Reports. The editors reached this conclusion after conducting lab tests on dozens of top-selling energy drinks.
Celebrities from Tim Tebow to 50 Cent, to Joan Rivers are advertising energy drinks these days. With their Facebook pages and Internet video campaigns, manufacturers specifically target young people.
But Consumer Reports says you have to be careful about how much caffeine you drink.
"It can quicken your pulse, cause abnormal heart rhythms, keep you from sleeping well, and elevate your blood pressure," said Gayle Williams of Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports analyzed the caffeine content of 27 top-selling energy drinks, testing three samples of each. Although some list the amount of caffeine on the package, they're not required to.
And Consumer Reports found the numbers can be way off.
"Some of the energy drinks underestimated the amount of caffeine listed on the label by 20 percent or more," said Williams.
So how much caffeine do energy drinks contain? In Consumer Reports' tests, it varied widely.
For example, FRS Healthy Energy averaged 17 milligrams per container. Red Bull and S-K Street Kings Energy contained around 80 milligrams. 5-Hour energy contains 215 milligrams of caffeine, and and 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength has 242 milligrams.
Most healthy adults can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. Both consumer and scientific groups have urged the Food and Drug Administration to require companies to disclose caffeine levels, but the agency says it doesn't have the authority to do so.
Many energy drinks do carry warnings: that they are not for children, women who are pregnant or nursing women, or people sensitive to caffeine.
"So for many people, an occasional energy drink is probably OK," Williams said.
But it can be hard to determine just how much caffeine one can contains, according to a new round of tests conducted by Consumer Reports. The editors reached this conclusion after conducting lab tests on dozens of top-selling energy drinks.
Celebrities from Tim Tebow to 50 Cent, to Joan Rivers are advertising energy drinks these days. With their Facebook pages and Internet video campaigns, manufacturers specifically target young people.
But Consumer Reports says you have to be careful about how much caffeine you drink.
"It can quicken your pulse, cause abnormal heart rhythms, keep you from sleeping well, and elevate your blood pressure," said Gayle Williams of Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports analyzed the caffeine content of 27 top-selling energy drinks, testing three samples of each. Although some list the amount of caffeine on the package, they're not required to.
And Consumer Reports found the numbers can be way off.
"Some of the energy drinks underestimated the amount of caffeine listed on the label by 20 percent or more," said Williams.
So how much caffeine do energy drinks contain? In Consumer Reports' tests, it varied widely.
For example, FRS Healthy Energy averaged 17 milligrams per container. Red Bull and S-K Street Kings Energy contained around 80 milligrams. 5-Hour energy contains 215 milligrams of caffeine, and and 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength has 242 milligrams.
Most healthy adults can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. Both consumer and scientific groups have urged the Food and Drug Administration to require companies to disclose caffeine levels, but the agency says it doesn't have the authority to do so.
Many energy drinks do carry warnings: that they are not for children, women who are pregnant or nursing women, or people sensitive to caffeine.
"So for many people, an occasional energy drink is probably OK," Williams said.
Who cares, they all taste like crap anyway
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I'm much more concerned with the sugar in those nasty drink.
Must be a slow news day or another KOMO witch hunt.
 @beakyboy Does anyone even bother to read the source of these articles? This is a Consumer Reports article, not a KOMO article. KOMO is simply reposting it.
Seems like they are still comparing 2 different types of products, the energy drinks compared to the energy shots.  There is a big difference between drinking a can of Red Bull, Monster, Rock Star, and those small 2 oz bottles of energy shots.
FRS is the best energy drink.Â
 @cna7 I'm sure they appreciate your free advertising.
I, for one, am thankful for these energy drinks. I just started working the nightshift at a nursing home and they've helped me stay alert and awake. .... now falling to sleep some mornings is a different thing. It's only my fourth night but we'll see after I do my 4 night stretch!!! Rockstar, here I come.....Â
 @HippoLady29 Coffee is probably better than an energy drink.  I worked nights for about a year and that's what got me addicted to caffeine.  It's about 3am when you really need a boost, it's the bodies natural sleep pattern, it usually has your in your deepest sleep about 3am. Â
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 @HippoLady29 I know the feeling! I worked graveyard at a warehouse for a few months, 5-hour was my friend the first few weeks...along with blackout curtains for my room!
I'm glad I stopped consuming caffeine about a year ago. Â It took a while to ween myself off of it, but I actually have more energy now than I ever did while drinking caffeine. Â
You would think that the producers of energy drinks would overstate the amount of caffeine contained if anything.
You'd think they would be more concerned with the amount of pesticides or cancer causing chemicals in food and drinks than the amount of caffeine. What if they were required to list the pesticides and corresponding amounts on the label? That would be more useful information if you ask me.
No doubt all of the 14 year old skater, stoner, burnouts are gonna be highly concerned when they pick up the morning paper and read this.
How much is that compared to a cup of coffee?
 @mstipton According to the WIkipedia article for Caffeine, a cup of drip coffee can have anywhere from 115-175mg of caffeine in it. A shot of espresso has about 100.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
No kidding. Most food packages don't have accurate lists of ingredients or the amounts of the ingredents.
@DDG That's correct and they are legally able to get away with it. Calories can be much higher as well!!!!