Energy Drinks and Their Safety

Legal drugs, such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, are often viewed as safer than prescription and illegal drugs. In particular, caffeine is viewed as safe by many people as it is not regulated, unlike nicotine and alcohol. Many “energy drinks” on the market, such as Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar, contain high levels of caffeine, some in excess of four times the amount of caffeine as is present in a cup of coffee. Additionally some energy drinks contain herbals such as guarana and ginseng.