200mg of caffeine, a balanced breakfast. 

When you walk into almost any classroom here at Bullitt East you are guaranteed to find at least one student or teacher drinking an energy drink. Especially if the 7:20 bell has just rung. Energy drinks have become more popular recently and are viewed as a highschool “norm”. Many students rely on them to help them make it throughout the day or even to stay awake during 1st period. 

“I think so many people drink them because they can get away with not eating as much, as well as getting enough sleep. Because no matter how they feel the next day, they’ll be able to drink an energy drink and automatically feel energized again,” sophomore Molly Carroll said.

Out of the people who took our poll on Instagram, half of them voted they drink energy drinks a couple times a week versus a couple times a month. The average amount of caffeine in a 250 ml sized can is 80mg, which is around 4 times the amount of one soft drink. Some drinks, like Alani Nu, have as much as 200mg. Caffeine is a drug and this rise in popularity is leading to an increase in caffeine addiction . Many believe this amount of caffeine is extremely harmful for teens, especially drinking them as often as many do. These drinks are known for increasing anxiety, headaches, and high blood pressure. 

“If you’re going over like one a day that’s kind of the max you should do. It also just depends on the type of drink you’re getting. Some of them are like 60 mg of caffeine and other ones are like 300. So obviously if you’re drinking 300mg, then that should be all you drink in a day. But a lot of people go over that amount,” Teacher Dylan Hooper said. 

Carroll thinks they are not good for you and people do not know about the health risk. “I do not personally drink energy drinks because I often get overwhelmed quite easily and loading myself with all that caffeine would make me more anxious than I need to be. I think they are unhealthy for you because your body will start to rely on energy drinks after you’ve consistently drank them and won’t be able to provide you with natural energy as easily… I do not think people know about the risk of drinking them constantly because simply they’re just so into the idea of feeling good. ” Carroll said.

Whether you are for or against them, energy drinks are making their presence known within high schools across the US. They increase your alertness and help elevate your mood, but at what cost?