Is the consumption of energy drink beneficial or detrimental to health: a comprehensive review?

Abstract Background Energy drinks (EDs) are a type of beverage that mostly contains caffeine and other dietary supplements (if present) and does not contain any alcohol in the ingredients. The products in this category include Red Bull, Redline, Monster, Full Throttle, and others. They are claimed to help in boosting energy, stamina, sports performance, and concentration among individuals. This article focused on the review of the benefits and disadvantages of consumption of energy drinks to health and well-being. ED provides health benefits effects such as improved physical performance, mood and attitude, cognition, and weight loss. Some adverse negative health challenges have been linked to consumption of ED. Therefore, this review is a wholistic appraisal of benefits or detriments of consumption of energy drink to our health and suggestions to curtail the excesses of ED consumption. Main body Energy drink has been around since 1950, and it is marketed as energy booster and comes in different types, energy shots, fruit-based, non-fruit-based (regular), sugar-free, and plant-based. These products are marketed as a low-calorie “instant” energy drink that can be consumed in a single sip, or bottle to boost energy or to boost the nutritional value of conventional products. Many of them contain different ingredients such as caffeine, guarana, ginseng, yerba mate, acai berry, ginkgo biloba, methylxanthines, sugar, glucuronolactone, taurine, maltodextrin, B vitamins. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine), Inositol B8 and B12, vitamin C and vitamin D; calcium, Iron, chromium, zinc, manganese, molybdenum; artificial sweeteners, aspartame, and sucralose. Health benefits such as improved physical performance, improved mood and attitude, improved concentration, and memory, good source of vitamin B and weight loss have been reported. Negative impact on health such as adverse cardiovascular effect, headaches, epileptic seizures, ischemic stroke, hallucinations, muscular twitching, restlessness, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal effect, renal effects, dental effects, obesity and type II diabetes, cancer, and caffeine toxicity has been reported. Conclusions Most of the health detriments caused because of consumption of energy drink is mostly due to the presence of excess quantity of caffeine and sugar. If the quantities of caffeine and sugar content in energy drink are kept at FDA- and WHO-recommended daily consumption amount, then it will not be present any problem to health. Consumption of energy drink that contains natural ingredients such as yerba mate, acai berry, ginkgo biloba, methylxanthines, amino acid, guarana, and ginseng with moderate FDA- and WHO-approved daily consumption of caffeine and sugar is not detrimental to health.