Are Red Bull and Monster Zero energy drinks safe?
Asked by kurlycarm on May 05, 2011
in Nutrition
I do not drink coffee because the acid really bothers me. I usually drink an 8 oz. Red Bull in the morning and, on days that I work a 3 to 8 pm shift, I'll drink a 16 oz. Monster Zero. It just gives me that little pick-me-up I need, tastes great and doesn't make me nervous. I'm 51 and reentered the work force about a year ago. My job is quite physical and I'm usually on my feet the entire 5 hours. My boss however insists that all energy drinks are dangerous . . . PERIOD! I could use a little support.
Answer
Children and pregnant women should not have energy drinks. For adults, energy drinks are only a problem if they are consumed in excess or if they give you insomnia or the jitters. Healthy adults are advised to stay below 300-500 milligrams of caffeine a day. An 8.3 ounce can of diet Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine, while a 16 ounce can of lite Monster Energy contains 160 mg, ounce per ounce the same amount. As a point of reference, 8 ounces of brewed coffee has 95-200 mg of caffeine and a can of Coke has 35-40 mg. The other nutrients added to energy drinks are useless but harmless.
