Nowadays, teens are walking into first period with more caffeine in their system than most adults drink before work. Energy drinks like Monster and Redbull have been around for years, but newer brands like Celsius and Alani Nu are on the rise, marketed to teens with bright cans and candy-like flavors. This new trend has taken a toll on teenagers' health, especially overwhelmed high school students struggling to balance school, sports, and their social lives. Because of the constant demand from school, home, and extracurriculars, many teens have turned to these energy drinks for an easy boost. However, as energy drinks explode in popularity, many teens report feeling like zombies rather than actual human beings if they haven’t finished a can before 10:00 am.
This trend has even reached Manhattan Beach’s very own Mira Costa High School, where approximately half of the students can be seen on campus with their hands wrapped around energy drinks of all kinds. Although these drinks can increase alertness, attention, and energy, they pose serious risks to health. According to an article by CDC, energy drinks “increase blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing”.
Clara Soares, a student at Mira Costa, states that she hates energy drinks, "especially the sugar free ones, since they leave a weird taste in my mouth”. Clara’s reaction makes sense: “sugar free” energy drinks do not eliminate sweetness at all, but instead rely on substitutes. In fact, dozens of popular brands label their drinks “sugar free” when the sugar has just been replaced by artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium. Although these substitutions allow energy drinks to claim that they contain no sugar, high intake of these artificial sweeteners has often been linked to higher risks of heart disease, strokes, and type two diabetes.
Overall, the growing trend of energy drinks has marketed towards teenagers, especially high school students for an extra boost in the morning. While these drinks can help students feel more awake, they also carry insane amounts of artificial sweetener which leads to serious health risks. Because of these concerns, energy drinks should be consumed in moderation, particularly when the primary consumers are teens whose bodies and brains are still developing.
CDC. “The Buzz on Energy Drinks.” School Nutrition, 20 Sept. 2024, www.cdc.gov/school-nutrition/energy-drinks/index.html.
CLIFF, KILL. “The Guide to Sugar-Free Energy Drinks: Do Energy Drinks Use Artificial Sweeteners? Is There a Naturally Sweetened Energy Drink?” Kill Cliff, 11 Aug. 2020, killcliff.com/blogs/the-tasty-times/stop-drinking-artificially-sweetened-energy-drinks. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Ghusn, Wissam, et al. “The Impact of Artificial Sweeteners on Human Health and Cancer Association: A Comprehensive Clinical Review.” Cureus, vol. 15, no. 12, 29 Dec. 2023, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.51299.