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The Food and Drug Authority (FDA) is one of the regulatory boards that aim to protect your health, welfare, and wellness. It aims to inform you of the health limits of the products you consume and assist you in understanding the food that you consume and its effect on your body.
It’s essential to know what are the benefits and risks that you can get in a product. With that said, you might be wondering: Are energy drinks regulated and approved by the FDA?
While the FDA doesn’t regulate energy drinks as a whole, they regulate the ingredients used in energy drinks, such as caffeine and artificial sweeteners, providing guidelines on the safe limits for consumption. It’s also one of the reasons why energy drinks are transparent with the contents of their drink.
If you’d like to learn more about the extent to which energy drinks are FDA-approved, read on to find out!
What Is The Food And Drug Authority?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of protecting your health by ensuring that the products sold in the market are safe and secure for consumption. These products include biological products, medical devices, food supply, veterinary drugs, cosmetics, and even emitting or releasing radiation.
The FDA also aims to inform you about accurate, science-based information to the public. It ensures that all products are affordable, safe, effective, and accessible.
Do Energy Drinks Need FDA Approval?
The FDA oversees food products with the help of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFASAN). It ensures that the food supply is regulated in the market is safe and sanitary, and properly labeled. It monitors the food additives, as well as the safety of food coloring. However, the FDA doesn’t regulate energy drinks as a whole.
As a result, it is up to each energy drink manufacturer to choose how they should categorize their wares. Depending on its composition, labeling, and intended use, energy drinks may be sold either as normal beverages or as nutritional supplements.
Most energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements to avoid the FDA’s caffeine ceilings for beverages. However, most doctors and lawmakers aim to get more transparency and regulation for energy drinks. There are also a handful of incidents that relates the energy drink consumption. That’s the reason why manufacturers started putting labels.
In the same manner, energy drinks listed as beverages only need to affirm that the product’s individual ingredients are generally safe. To address accidents, the FDA released guidance to classify energy drinks as dietary supplements or beverages properly.
How Does FDA Regulate Energy Drinks?
Companies that market their product as FDA-approved captures the heart of the people. Of course, products that are safe and properly regulated are commendable. However, not all products have gone through the process of premarket approval. FDA often focuses on the products that are already available in the market.
Beverage companies often promote their products as FDA-approved, but the question is, how does FDA regulate it?
The thing is, FDA regulates and approves ingredients that are intentionally added to energy drinks. Once a company started to add some new food additives, it must provide information to the FDA, which would be reviewed and tested to ensure that they are reliable and safe.
The way to identify if energy drinks are regulated is by looking at their nutrition facts and ingredients list. Looking at these, it helps you understand your limits. This would help you moderate your intake so that you don’t go overboard.
In terms of energy drinks, caffeine and sugar, are the most common ingredients that you need to pay close attention to.
Why Does FDA Regulate Caffeine?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant, and it is one of the common ingredients widely used in foods and beverages. It helps you stay active and focused for a specific time. However, over-consumption of caffeine can lead to serious problems. That’s the reason why the FDA set a daily limit for caffeine.
For reference, the FDA recommends a 400mg of daily intake of caffeine. It’s enough for your body to get the energy boost that you need. It also helps your body to function well and manage all your work. A sensible amount of caffeine can give your body the nutrients you need to survive the day.
However, going overboard to the caffeine limit can cause serious problems like:
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Rapid heart rate
- Insomnia
- Frequent Urination and Urgency
- Addiction or dependence
- Digestive issues
- Muscle breakdown
- High blood pressure
Most energy drinks have 50mg to 200mg of caffeine; this information is seen at the back of the can. So, with the FDA information about the caffeine limit, I would advise you to drink responsibly. Make sure that you are within the recommended limits to minimize health problems.
Personally, when it comes to caffeine, I choose energy drinks that have 50mg to 100mg of caffeine, as I find that it’s enough for me to get the boost that I want without the caffeine crash, developing dependence, or any health problems.
The bottom line here is, FDA wants you to have a grasp of your health by being informed about your body limits. So, it would be great if you help your body by drinking moderately, and responsively.
That said, if you’re interested in energy drinks without any caffeine, take a look at this article here, where I’ve written all about them.
FDA Take on Sugar Consumption
Sugar is everywhere, and it’s one of the common ingredients in your food and drinks. Caffeine and sugar had the same effect. It boosts your energy and makes sure that you are alert and focused in your activity, work, and studies. Studies also show that sugar can improve your mood.
Sugars are the simplest and smallest type of carbohydrate. Your body can easily absorb and digest sugar. There are two types of sugar in your drink: the naturally present sugar and the added sugars. The FDA properly defines these to ensure that you know what you are consuming.
Sugars Naturally Present
Sugars naturally present are sugar that is found naturally in foods like fruits and milk. All sugars provide energy in the form of calories. Note that each gram of sugar can provide 4 calories. Once your body breaks down sugar into glucose, it will turn into an energy source.
Added Sugar
Added sugars are sugars that are processed or added during the processing of foods. It’s also known as caloric sweeteners. Added sugars usually come in the form of natural sugar like white sugar or brown sugar. Honey is also an example of added sugar that is chemically manufactured.
Note that the AHA suggested that the daily sugar consumption for women is 25g of sugar, while men should stay on the 36g sugar limit. Sugar is beneficial in lifting your mood and energy levels. However, having beyond the recommended limits can lead to serious problems like:
- Aging Skin
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Diabetes
- Tooth Decay
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Sugar Crash
- Weight gain
FDA’s Take on Articifial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are used as sugar substitutes, and these are much sweeter than regular sugar. Compared to regular sugar, artificial sweeteners don’t add up to your calorie intake. It’s commonly added to food and beverages, and it was regarded as safe.
Here is the list of safe, and regulated artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA.
- Saccharin
- Aspartame
- Acesulfame Potassium
- Sucralose
- Neotame
- Advantame
- Steviol Glycosides
- Luo Han Gou Fruit Extracts
Artificial sweeteners are regulated as food additives, and the FDA first conducts a premarket review, and companies can only use them in foods once it’s passed the tests. This step is implemented to ensure that all ingredients that are added to foods and beverages are safe.
Are Top Energy Drinks Regulated by FDA?
It’s important to note that most conventional foods, beverages, and dietary supplements are under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This means that it’s mandatory for them to pass the guidelines and be transparent with the contents and ingredients they offer.
Red Bull Energy Drink
Red Bull is one of the top energy drinks in the market. Being one of the best energy drinks, they also comply with the laws and regulations set by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and FDA. If you’re not sure about the contents of your energy drink, you find it out on this website.
It’s important to note that Red Bull voluntarily included its caffeine content in the can for transparency. It helps you regulate your consumption, and more importantly, adheres to American Beverage Guidance for Responsible Labeling and Marketing of Energy Drinks.
Monster Energy Drink
Monster Energy drink has been subject to different controversies because of its caffeine content. And to address this problem, Monster Energy drink, formerly under dietary supplements, moved into the beverage category.
Monster Energy Drink’s shift to beverage drinks followed American Beverage Guidance for Responsible Labeling and Marketing of Energy Drinks. It aims to make sure the cans are properly labeled, especially when it comes to caffeine content. It also includes warnings and other reminders for consumers.
Energy drinks are known for their energy-boosting effect, but it would be great if you make sure that you drink according to your body’s limits. Having too much of something comes with a price that might be dangerous for your health.
REIZE (10 out of 10)
Are you worried about the caffeine content of the drinks that you consume? Or your health safety? Then REIZE might be what you’re looking for.
For starters, REIZE adheres to the standards and guidelines put up by the FDA and is transparent with the ingredients included in its energy-boosting blend, leaving no room for worry.
REIZE is a 4g powdered energy drink with 50mg caffeine, 11 calories, and no sugar. This drink also comes with a refreshing blend of taurine, ginseng extract, and B-vitamins. It’s enough for you to get the energy that you need for the day.
REIZE energy drink is also convenient, and you can have it whenever and wherever you are. Best of all, you can have it shipped directly to your door for only about $1, which is great value for your money!
So, try REIZE today, and experience one of the best energy drinks available on the market.
