Energy Drink Consumption Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Health Effects and Implications for Practice

Energy drinks are widely used by adolescents and young adults for the purpose of obtaining benefits as advertised by energy drink companies. These beverages have become popular because of successful advertising and aggressive marketing strategies. Since energy drinks are considered a dietary supplement, regulation by the Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not required. Ingredients and amounts of caffeine vary between different brands. The purpose of this project was to expand our knowledge of energy drinks as supplements through an integrated review of the current literature dating from 2008-2013. Our results concluded that negative physical and psychological health effects outweighed benefits of consuming energy drinks. Implications for practice as a family nurse practitioner include assessing patent consumption, identifying risk factors, and providing education regarding these beverages. Further research is needed to identify long-term health implications of consuming energy drinks.