Sequoyah Students and Energy Drinks
Studies have found that one-third of teenagers ages 12 to 17 drink energy drinks on a regular basis. The National Library of Medicine states that nearly two thirds of teens reported ever using energy drinks; 41% had done so recently, i.e., in the past three months. It might be the taste, the timeless trendy 2000s-esque can designs, or the energy boost you need after procrastinating an assignment till the night it's due. But the real question is: are these tasty, energizing, refreshing drinks really worth it? (“Caffeinated energy drink use by U.S. adolescents aged 13–17: A national profile”)
There are different types of people who drink energy drinks, including the once-in-a-while drinkers (those who drink very few energy drinks), and the avid energy drinkers. I conducted an interview with various Sequoyah students on their energy drink habits.
When questioned about any personal positives or negatives on energy drinks, Sequoyah Student Trist Rauh ’27 states “The only [negative] side effect that I really have seen is just that it does [expletive] with medications. And it does also create, of course, a caffeine crash.” Rauh also states that the reason he drinks energy drinks is because it helps him get out of bed in the morning. When asked about the positives of energy drinks, Rauh remarks “I more just like the taste of Monster”
Freshman Alex Hencken ’30 says, “Honestly, I don't really drink caffeine in general, because a lot of times, if I drink it too close to when I go to sleep, I get nightmares.” This is a very interesting observation, showing that the caffeine intake has different effects on students. Hencken also mentions that the one time she did drink an energy drink it made her feel sick, but states that it may be because of the pace she drank it at. For some, caffeine helps them get rest like for people with ADHD, the dopamine levels instead of overstimulating the brain, it makes their brains calmer.but for others it makes it hard to sleep and can make day-to-day life difficult. (“Does Caffeine Make ADHD Sleepy?”)
Though some students don't have a reason for drinking energy drinks, student Brooks Mitchell ’30 states that the reason why he drinks energy drinks is “ 'cause they taste good, and they have caffeine, which gives me energy, and then I can stay up forever.” Mitchell declares that he has no negative side effects when he drinks energy drinks, and that they help him stay focused. This might be because he drinks only three a week, keeping the amount at a survivable pace.
Marketing also plays a very big role in how much teenagers drink energy drinks. The bright, colorful, and creative flavors make items such as these more appealing to a younger audience. For example, a very popular brand of energy drinks called Alani has bright, fun colors and flavors. Some flavors include Cosmic Stardust, Cherry Slush, Cotton Candy, Sherbet Swirl, and Strawberry Sunrise. (“A content analysis of sports and energy drink advertising”)
An article called “A content analysis of sports and energy drink advertising” mentions the fact that the advertisements for energy drinks had to do with sports or celebrities. For example, how the Red Bull energy drink company owns an F1 racing company. Rauh also states that one of the reasons why he drinks energy drinks is because of the red bull F1 team, so that is a prime example of what the marketing does to the mindset of the people the product is advertised to.
Touching on the design of the energy drinks, Hencken remarks “The cans that they come in are cool.” This even proves that students acknowledge the marketing and how it really is becoming more geared towards an audience of teenagers.
All in all, energy drinks do have an effect, whether it be positive or negative, on students. It really depends on the teens health and tolerance to caffeine. The amount of drinks they have is also a huge part in whether the final outcome is positive or negative, but if someone really had to decide whether it was positive or negative, it would be most accurate to say that energy drinks have a negative effect on one's body.
Sources:
Interview with Trist Rauh- https://otter.ai/u/mu9mjzVJJs03svinp7X91_e80Uo?utm_source=copy_url
Interview with Brooks Mitchel-
https://otter.ai/u/SN-GVGY7xGgzJojWvil_aRgYYSY?utm_source=copy_url
Interview with Alex Hencken-
https://otter.ai/u/FA8e3J4i4CK4xPxtr3YfiwaD8YY?utm_source=copy_url]
Admin. (2025, November 28). Does caffeine make ADHD sleepy? What you need to know. Munster Behavioral Health. https://munsterbehavioralhealth.com/does-caffeine-make-adhd-sleepy/
Miller, K. E., Dermen, K. H., & Lucke, J. F. (2018). Caffeinated energy drink use by U.S. adolescents aged 13–17: A national profile. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 32(6), 647–659. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000389
Bleakley, A., Ellithorpe, M. E., Jordan, A. B., Hennessy, M., & Stevens, R. (2022). A content analysis of sports and energy drink advertising. Appetite, 174, 106010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.106010