The media has been indulged on this debate ever since the FDA revealed that 5-hour Energy may be linked to 13 deaths, which have occurred in the past four years. Some experts are attacking energy drink companies, while energy drink companies defend that they know of no link with deaths and their products. So does caffeine really kill?
A shocking number reveals that 80 to 90 percent of Americans drink caffeinated beverages every day. With the boom of caffeine of Starbucks coffee, then of Red Bull energy, our culture has evolved to relying and functioning off caffeine. First off, why do we consume so much caffeine? Well just as some drugs do, caffeine is actually shown to help release dopamine. Yes, the happy feelings. This leads to the reason why many think caffeine can be addictive. Further, outside of the simple fact of increasing energy, it can sharpen critical thinking, improve alertness and heighten athletic stamina. It makes you think how caffeine has got to be one of the greatest things to consume on a daily basis.
Then you learn the downsides of consuming caffeine...
So caffeine may not be all blue sky's as it seems to be. But is it enough to lead to death? What most experts have pointed out is that it has to do with the quantity of caffeine consumed. One 5-Hour Energy shot may not kill you but what happens when you drink five?
http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/23/14649966-when-caffeine-kills-energy-drinks-under-the-spotlight?liteAnd what about all the other caffeine packed drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and your daily coffee? All the other options are just as dangerous as 5-Hour, it's just that 5-Hour Energy is most likely singled out due to the amount of caffeine in such a small amount of liquid. It's simple it's easier to drink more caffeine.
However, 5-Hour founder and CEO seems to be in some denial about the downsides of caffeine. As he stated, the idea that the energy drink is to blame for killing anyone is like comparing “drinking a bottle of water today, and then thousands of people died the next day; that somehow it’s linked,” said 5-Hour Energy CEO Manoj Bhargava. “It’s just false.” The link of water to energy drinks is not a very comparable analogy. By looking at the facts you'll quickly come to one conclusion, that if you drink caffeine (which most likely you do), simply stick to minimal amounts.
Read about our caffeine-free chewables.
