“Energy” has become a beverage buzz-word
Prime’s energy drinks have been concerning to health professionals because of their appeal to children. (Photo courtesy of Better Retailing)
Do you think a child would think something is cool, or okay to participate in, if it was given a seal of approval by youthful popular culture figures like Sonic or Naruto? If your answer is yes, that is the real danger of these energy drink companies that pander towards younger audiences, the same brands with disclaimers on their beverages that highlight that these high-caffeine drinks are intended for adults. This makes it an interesting combination when you see cartoon characters or candy brands– that thrive off of their young consumer base –collaborating with brands like Ghost and G-Fuel.
On the surface, these drinks seem fine. The days of high-calorie and sugary energy drinks are behind us; brands like Red Bull and Monster have low-calorie and zero-sugar alternatives, while Ghost and G-Fuel began their brands with these motifs at the forefront: how can something that can’t make you gain weight be unhealthy? Energy drink brands have taken advantage of the modern era of health-consciousness, where people are more aware of nutritional facts, calories and macronutrients, so to be able to display a fat “0” on the front of an energy drink can puts them on level with other diet beverages in terms of appeal to the average consumer. Parents who go grocery shopping with their kids may understand the effects of calorific drinks, so when children see their favorite online influencers like Ninja promoting a product, a mother or father may not do the due diligence in understanding that energy drinks are not directly comparable to typical diet sodas.
This becomes most troublesome in the case of a brand like Prime, the energy drink company started by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI. The brand has two premier products: an “energy” drink that is in a metal can and an “hydration” drink that is enclosed within a plastic bottle. This is inherently misleading; besides the marginal contrast in their physical appearance, how is the ordinary parent going to assume that there is a major difference between “hydration” and “energy?” Well, there is actually a 200-milligram caffeine discrepancy between the two products, but again, both are promoted for their ingredients that include electrolytes and zero sugar, so it can be inferred that unassuming buyers may confuse the two. This sentiment has been widely gaining traction as well; speaking to Yahoo, Justine Howard, a Senior Research Officer at Telethon Kids Institute, explained that Prime’s “marketing campaign could easily entice a younger audience with its promise to improve energy, performance and concentration.” In reality though, this “energy” comes from an excessive amount of caffeine for most teenagers, and especially younger children.
This trend of ambiguous marketing has been encouraged by other major brands like Gatorade. Gatorade used to combine the ideas of providing energy and hydration with their “thirst-quenching” products that have electrolytes and occasionally sugar, but not caffeine. Now though, they have their “Fast Twitch Energy Drink” that comes in a similar plastic bottle as their non-caffeinated drinks, but with a different design that emphasizes the same attributes as Prime. Again, parents may see a drink with only 10 calories, 0 sugar and a bottle made out of the same plastic as other gatorade drinks and could potentially assume they have the same effects, when there is actually another 200-milligram caffeine contrast.
The New York Times explains that in terms of regulation, the United States does not allow schools to sell caffeinated beverages to elementary and middle schools, but “many schools do not restrict what students can bring from home.” Then, when you get to college, there becomes a culture of caffeine as a result of rigorous academics that particularly becomes heightened during final exams. Energy drinks have become normalized to the extent that they are consumed in a similar vein to sodas, where moderation is seemingly key. The FDA recommends a maximum intake of 400 milligrams of caffeine per day for a healthy adult, which sounds like a lot until you realize that it is equivalent to two of Prime or Gatorade’s energy drinks. This is versus a 375-milliliter can of Diet Coke that wields 48 milligrams of caffeine; or about a maximum of 8 cans to get near the caffeine limit. And, this is for adults, not children; 12-17 year olds should only have a maximum of 100 milligrams of caffeine per day, and the amount decreases as the consumer’s age does.
For those who know me, I am an avid caffeine drinker and have probably gone over the 400-milligram limit numerous times, but I am aware of the consequences it has on my body. If a parent understands the ramifications of these beverages for their children, they should know better than to encourage a habit that they may be aware of, but their teenage son or daughter may just see as a delectable treat.