Energy Drinks, the New Coffee?

Caffeine consumption is now a lifestyle, with choices that go far beyond the standard old cup of coffee. Instead, people can now choose between a long list of energy beverages to suit their needs and energy requirements.

In Canada, the boom and popularity of energy drinks has arrived later than in countries such as the Unites States or some European nations, although its acceptance has increased rapidly, especially in the past year. An investigation by the University of Montreal proved that these beverages have replaced coffee and tea as stimulants amongst young people and athletes.

“Energy drinks are the coffee of the new generation,” explained Stéphane Cté, nutritionist of Extenso, a 'think-tank' of nutrition and food at the University of Montreal. According to a report by the Canadian government entitled “Agriculture and Agri-Food”, consumption per capita in Canada is almost on a par with that of the U.S., the largest consumer globally.

In recent years, energy drinks in the form of shots have also emerged as a popular quick “pick-me-up” fix. Energy shots are an extension of the regular energy drink product, typically packed in smaller, 60ml shrink-wrapped plastic bottles. These products can be seen typically lining the shelves of the front counter at gas stations and convenient stores. Standard 250ml and supersized 500ml energy drinks may be considered by some to contain too much volume and too many calories for that first drink in the morning or for driving and road trips.

Health matters

Several studies have demonstrated that strong doses of caffeine can increase hypertension, cause heart palpitations, provoke irritability and anxiety and are known to bring on headaches and insomnia. Health Canada does not recommend consuming more than two cans per day. "Energy drinks don't hydrate the body efficiently. They aren’t recommended for athletes and children under 12," says Côté. "They have too much sugar, and caffeine doesn't necessarily improve physical performance.” But many young people do not respect this warning, with close to 50% of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming to consume energy drinks mixed with alcohol.

One factor likely to have a strong influence on the sector in the coming few years is changes to regulations on health claims and labelling. In the UK for instance, according to Britvic soft drinks, 85% of consumers would like more information in the form of Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labelling. Foreseeing people's demands, in January 2009, the European Commission recommended GDA labelling as its preferred food labelling system for adoption across Europe. Already in countries like the UK, more than 50 food and drink companies display GDA labels on over 20,000 product lines. Fears of the side effects of excessive caffeine, particularly on children, have started a debate on the desirability of greater regulation. In the meantime there are a number of websites related to caffeine products that offer services to curb “overdoses”.