November 19, 2012 By Harvey B. Simon, M.D. Harvard Medical
School On October 23, 2012, The New York Times reported that the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating reports
of five deaths that may be related to a popular energy drink
called Monster Energy. The investigation is only in its early
stages. While it's far too soon to implicate Monster Energy in
these tragic events, it's a good time to take a look at these
products. Sports drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde have been
popular with athletes for decades. They contain electrolytes and
carbohydrates. Athletes use them to replace fluids lost during
exercise. Although it's not clear that sports drinks are
actually better than plain water, they are safe. Like sports
drinks, energy drinks are sold in gyms, health clubs and
supermarkets. Energy drinks are most popular among adolescents
and young adults. And they sure are popular. In 2006, energy
drinks racked up sales of $5.4 billion in the United States
alone. But don't confuse them with s