The dangers of drinking too many energy drinks

Posted on June 17, 2014 | Last updated March 8, 2025

Delicious, But Excessive Consumption of Energy Drinks Can Be Harmful

Excessive Consumption of Energy Drinks Can Be Harmful
I can almost hear someone saying, "You're the last person to say that," but to be clear, excessive consumption is not good. However, it's not the energy drinks themselves that are dangerous.

Just like with anything, moderation is key, and this applies not only to energy drinks but also to juices and other beverages. Overconsumption of anything can have negative effects, and it's definitely true that consuming too much of anything is harmful to your body.

*This article also discusses the news about the tragic incident involving the consumption of 24 cans of Red Bull 24oz in November 2015.

To summarize, this news turned out to be a hoax, as proven by Energy Drink-kun. The story, which was widely spread by online news sites, was false, but the notion that energy drink overconsumption can lead to harm or even death has still gained significant attention. Therefore, it’s important to make your own informed judgment on this matter.

Now, let's delve deeper into the potential dangers of overconsuming energy drinks.

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Ingredients in Energy Drinks That May Pose Potential Risks

Caffeine
Sugar

Rather than being outright dangerous, these two ingredients are the ones that should be consumed in moderation (*´･ω･)(･ω･｀*)ﾈｰ.

Other "energy ingredients" are present in such small quantities that there is almost no need to worry about them. Since they are included in such trace amounts, they have little to no significant impact on the body. Unfortunately, drinking them with the expectation of major effects is unrealistic.

Caffeine

As mentioned on the Energy Drink and Caffeine Lethal Dose page, unless you drink dozens of cans at once, you won't reach a lethal dose. However, it’s surprisingly easy to experience acute caffeine poisoning. Drinking several cans in a short period can easily push you past the generally recognized caffeine threshold.

This is true not only for energy drinks (about 80mg of caffeine per can) but also for coffee (about 80mg of caffeine per cup).

The key thing to remember is that there is no fixed threshold for what constitutes a dangerous amount of caffeine, as it depends on various factors like age, weight, and gender. Metabolism and tolerance vary from person to person, so it's impossible to say that a certain amount of caffeine is universally safe for everyone.

For more details on energy drink caffeine addiction and lethal doses, please refer to the page. It will clarify that moderate consumption does not pose significant danger.

Sugar

It’s often overlooked, but energy drinks can contain a considerable amount of sugar. If consumed excessively every day, it can have negative effects on your health. However, it’s a common misconception that energy drinks are unusually high in sugar.

Most energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster Energy contain around 10g of sugar per 100ml, which is similar to the sugar content in cola (11.3g per 100ml). Most sweetened soft drinks have similar sugar levels.

In conclusion, “Sweet soft drinks (including energy drinks) can be harmful if consumed excessively”.

*I once grabbed an Orangina thinking I’d drink it, but after seeing it contained just over 10g of carbohydrates, I quietly returned it to the fridge for later, when I craved an energy drink (；´∀｀)

Is It Safe to Drink Two Cans a Day?

There is absolutely no problem with this.

If you drink about 200ml of a popular Japanese energy drink, it would be:

Caffeine content: 80mg × 2 cans = 160mg, which is less than two cups of coffee
Sugar content: about the same or less than 500ml of cola

Surprised that it’s not much different from regular juice? Energy drinks are essentially soft drinks with added vitamins, amino acids, caffeine, and other ingredients. When consumed in normal amounts, they don’t pose a health risk (；´∀｀).

Furthermore, if you look at the ingredients in energy drinks, you’ll see that they don’t necessarily improve your health or physical condition. While some articles claim that they are beneficial, you should approach such claims with caution. There seems to be some inconsistency in these statements.

Deaths Allegedly Caused by Energy Drinks

This topic often surfaces, with many gossip sites and blogs using sensational titles like “died after drinking excessive energy drinks.” By now, most people are likely numb to such headlines. But in reality, it is extremely rare for an average adult to die simply from consuming Monster Energy or Red Bull.

As mentioned earlier, the risk of dying from energy drinks appears to be very low. For more details, please refer to the page on caffeine poisoning and lethal doses caused by energy drinks.