Energy drink consumers, beware. A consumer advocacy group says that energy drinks may be hazardous to your health.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is calling for warning labels on energy drinks after a review of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents linked 34 deaths to the highly caffeinated beverages since 2004. The CSPI noted that the new data show 17 “previously unreported deaths” linked to energy drinks since late 2012.
According to the CSPI report, “22 deaths have been linked to 5-Hour Energy, 11 deaths have been linked to Monster (MNST), and one death, a first, has been linked to Rockstar.”
CSPI concedes that “the reports do not prove that energy drinks actually caused the deaths.” Nonetheless, it is asking the FDA to mandate warning levels for energy drinks. The labels would warn consumers of the potential “risk of heart attack, convulsion, and other adverse reaction to energy drinks.”
The CSPI would also like the FDA to force manufacturers to cut caffeine levels to “0.02 percent, or 71 milligrams per 12 ounces—the maximum amount the FDA considers safe in cola-style beverages.”
Shares of Monster Beverage fell slightly in Thursday midday trading.
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