Since energy drinks came on the market in the late 1990's, they've been "all the rage." These drinks claim to boost your energy and make you more alert. With the added vitamins and natural ingredients contained within, they can't be that bad, right? Wrong. Though I have been against these drinks from the beginning I am still amazed at some of the things I found out. In my research, I found that energy drinks are actually classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as "dietary supplements" (McGuinness), because they exceed the range of caffeine levels of regular sodas and have added vitamins and supplements. I think the biggest appeal of energy drinks is the high content of caffeine. For instance, one 8.4 fl oz can of Red Bull Energy Drink contains 80 mg of caffeine (Red Bull) compared to a 20 oz bottle of Pepsi which contains 63 mg of caffeine (Pepsico). The high content of caffeine is why there are risks involved in drinking them. People tend to drink caffeine to wake up and keep going. I am told energy drinks will definitely give you a rush but people need to think of the bad effects consuming lots of caffeine cause. I drink coffee so I know caffeine can become habit forming. I also know people can become tolerant to different levels and might have to drink more to get the effect they want. Surveys have reported some teens drinking energy drinks in the U.S. are consuming "about 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine each day, with some consuming up to 800 milligrams daily" (Dyess). Even I know this high caffeine consumption can lead to severe problems. The same article I read states: "There have been reports of incidents of agitation, liver damage, kidney failure, psychosis, and even a heart attack in a 23- year-old" (Dyess). This is disturbing considering the ages of people in the reports I read. I know most manufacturers of energy drinks focus on the younger crowd but I am surprised at how young some consumers are. Some "