Energy Drinks
Should the powerful, caffeine-fueled so-called “energy drinks” be regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)? Is there sufficient evidence of harmful effects in energy drinks to justify regulation? Thesis: This paper takes the position that energy drinks should indeed be regulated and consumers should be informed on the packaging as to the amount of caffeine contained in each container and as to the potentially negative impacts associated with energy drinks.
What studies have been conducted relating to energy drinks?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a report on energy drinks in 2008 that reflects “…increasing reports of caffeine intoxication from energy drinks,” which raises concern for two reasons. One, because there are a number of other adverse health effects that have been associated with energy drinks; and two, the growth of the market for energy drinks has skyrocketed in the U.S. (Reissig, 2008).
In fact the NIH reports that from 2002 to 2006 the annual growth in the sales of energy drinks was 55%; and in 2006 the annual sales of energy drinks in the U.S. was estimated to be around $5.4 billion. The amount of caffeine in the average energy drink (although it varies depending on the manufacturer) can be as much as 505 mg per can (or bottle); compared to a typical 6-oz cup of brewed coffee (up to 171 mg of caffeine), energy drinks are extremely powerful and potentially dangerous (Reissig, p. 1).
Moreover, energy drinks also contain substances like taurine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, nicotinamide, B vitamins and “…various herbal derivatives” as well (Reissig, p. 1). Because the long-term effects of these additives are not yet known, the NIH suggests that the “potential for adverse health consequences” should be given consideration and may point towards the need for “preemptive regulatory action” (Reissig, p. 1). It appears that notwithstanding the FDA’s requirements that cola-type soft drinks may not contain more than 0.02% caffeine (or 71 mg per 12 fluid oz), over 130 energy drinks today now easily exceed the caffeine limits set by the FDA in 2003 (Reissig, p. 2).
How can manufacturers get away with going well over legal limits for caffeine in energy drinks? Reissig believes they are being coy and deceptive with the regulations; to wit, because energy drinks also contain herbs and natural sources, the energy drink companies justify their products by calling them “dietary supplements rather than drugs,” which under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, they can get away with (p. 2).
Deaths Associated with Energy Drinks
(Pathos) How serious are the side effects for people who regularly use energy drinks like “Rockstar Energy,” “5-Hour Energy,” and “Monster Energy”? Given that death is the most serious side effect imaginable, if it can be proved that death results from consumption of energy drinks, one can state with certainty that some energy drinks should be taken off the market.
(Ethos) in looking for credibility and ethical journalism, one of the most reliable news sources in the world is the New York Times. The Times reported in November, 2012, that 13 people have died after allegedly consuming 5-Hour Energy. Moreover, the Times reports that since 2009, there have been “…some 90 filings with the F.D.A.” referencing health problems associated with 5-Hour Energy (Meier, 2012).
Of those 90 filings, thirty related to “…serious or life-threatening injuries like heart attacks, convulsions and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion” (Meier, p. 1). When contacted by the Times — regarding the report of 13 deaths — Manoj Bhargava, the chief executive of “Living Essentials,” the company that produces 5-Hour Energy, said he preferred not to discuss the filings to the FDA of those 13 deaths. The Living Essentials company claims it markets its high-powered beverage (which is sold in a 2-oz bottle as a “shot”) to “…hardworking adults who need an extra boost of energy” (Meier, p. 2).
Another article in the respected New York Times reports that in addition to the 13 fatalities linked to 5-Hour Energy, another 5 deaths have been linked to “Monster Energy” (Meier, 2012). These data were released by the FDA in November, 2012, because, according to spokeswoman Shelly Burgess, the FDA is making “…an effort to be transparent” (Meier, p. 1). While the FDA did not officially find the product at fault — at this point there are linkages but no empirical proof that the deaths were a direct result of consuming the energy drinks — Burgess added that if a “relationship between the consumption of the product and harm” can be proved, the FDA will take “appropriate action to reduce or eliminate the risk” (Meier, p. 1).
(Logos) Can these reports of negative health impacts linked to energy drinks be believed — and are the manufacturers worried about their profits and their image? One sure and logical way to determine that a company is running scared and trying to protect its image is when they rush to hire lobbyists in Washington, D.C. Indeed, Red Bull and Monster, among the leading energy drink manufacturers, have hired lobbyists; Red Bull North America hired two lobbyists (Heather Podesta & Partners; and Olsson, Frank, Weeda, Terman, Matz) in late 2012, and Monster hired the Covington & Burling lobbying firm, paying them $100,000 in late 2012 (Huffpost, 2013). Neither of these companies had previously hired lobbyists, which leads the alert reader to surmise that Monster and Red Bull are worried about the FDA’s release of information that links energy drinks to death and other negative health impacts.
In conclusion, while the debate as to the safety of energy drinks drones on in Washington and elsewhere, a wrongful death suit has been filed by the parents of a 14-year-old California girl who apparently died after drinking two 24-oz cans of Monster in a 24-hour period. How can energy drink companies justify continuing to market their products as safe when so much evidence has been accumulated showing that energy drinks may not be safe, especially for young people and in particular when teenagers are known to drink several cans in a short period of time? Three Democratic members of Congress have sent letters to more than 12 beverage companies as part of an ongoing investigation; will the lobbying by energy drink companies trump investigations by Congress? Given the back-biting and polarization in Washington, no one can be sure anything positive will come from an investigation — but energy drinks should be regulated and if Congress and the FDA fail to come to terms with this danger, democracy and American citizens will be the losers.
Works Cited
Huffpost. “Energy Drinks Hire Lobbyists to Fend Off Regulation.” Retrieved March 6, 2013,
from http://www.huffingtonpost.com.
Meier, Barry. “Caffeinated Drink Cited in Reports of 13 Deaths.” The New York Times.
Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com. 2012.
Meier, Barry. “F.D.A. Post Injury Data for 3 Drinks.” The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com. 2012.
Reissig, Chad J, Strain, Eric C., and Griffiths, Roland R. “Caffeinated Energy Drinks — a
Growing Problem. National Institutes of Health.” Retrieved March 6, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2008.
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
