Last week, 5-hour Energy came under fire after the New York
Times reported the Food and Drug Administration received 13
reports of deaths possibly linked to the energy drink. The
claims add to the five deaths reported to the agency linked to
Monster Energy, raising concerns about the safety of the
beverages. How could the energy drinks, whose main ingredient is
caffeine, be connected to the deaths? Andrea Giancoli, a
registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics, and Michael Jacobson, executive
director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest,
answer some questions worried consumers are asking about the
beverages. How does the body respond to caffeine? “It’s a
stimulant. It wakes you up. It makes you more alert. It is
stimulating your nervous system,” says Giancoli. Giving the
nervous system a jolt can lessen fatigue and sometimes improve
mood. As heart rates go up, the body circulates more blood and
can speed up the metabolism. What are some of the adverse
effects