Sugar and caffeine bombs: Why energy drinks are under fire after FSSAI Crackdown

FSSAI has sent notices to six energy drink brands over alleged misbranding and claims. The move has renewed scrutiny of caffeine, sugar and how these drinks are marketed to consumers.

In Short

• India lacks a notified standard for products sold as energy drinks
• Most brands rely on caffeine, sugar, taurine and added vitamins
• Caffeine blocks adenosine, raising alertness, heart rate, blood pressure and breathing

The timing could hardly be more significant. India's apex food regulator has put some of the country's biggest energy drink brands under the scanner, raising a fundamental question that consumers rarely ask when they pop open a brightly coloured can promising an instant boost: what exactly is an energy drink?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on July 1 issued notices to six major brands – Red Bull Energy Drink, PepsiCo's Adrenaline Rush, Reliance Consumer Products' Campa Energy Drink Gold Boost, Sting Energy Drink, Hell Energy and Coca-Cola-backed Monster Energy-over alleged misbranding and misleading claims.

The regulator said India has no notified standard for products classified as "energy drinks", yet these beverages are marketed using that very description. It also objected to promotional claims such as "vitalises body and mind", "enhances focus", "boosts energy levels" and "aids in general weakness", saying such therapeutic or functional claims are not permissible for food products under Indian law.

The controversy has once again thrust energy drinks into the spotlight globally.

For years, scientists and public health experts have debated whether these products are simply highly caffeinated soft drinks or something far more concerning.

Growing evidence suggests that these sugar and caffeine bombs can pose significant health risks when consumed excessively, rapidly or by vulnerable individuals.

These drinks do not create energy in the biological sense, researchers have been emphasising in recent years, adding that they do not provide sustainable physical stamina or improve health. Instead, they temporarily mask fatigue by stimulating the brain while delivering a rapid sugar surge.

Nutrition researcher Dr Sunita Chandarkor underlined that the terminology ‘energy drink' ,therefore, itself is grossly misleading in the absence of any scientific basis, created and marketed purely with a profit motive and mostly targeted at young adults.

“Which food in the world does not give energy? Also, a food type that gives you a sharp burst of glucose and caffeine is not only less on nutrition but also makes one addicted. It is harmful in the long run,” she told India Today.

And if these concerns were not enough, growing evidence has linked energy drink consumption to rising emergency room visits, cardiovascular complications and, in some reported cases, and even fatal cardiac arrests.

WHAT REALLY POWERS THEM?

Despite slick marketing that often invokes performance, endurance and mental sharpness, there is no secret ingredient behind an energy drink's effects. The biggest driver is plain old caffeine.

The US Food and Drug Administration defines energy drinks as liquid products that typically contain caffeine, with or without other added ingredients. Unlike sports drinks that primarily replace fluids and electrolytes lost during exercise, energy drinks are designed to stimulate the nervous system.

Most combine four key components: caffeine, sugar, taurine and B vitamins, often alongside ingredients such as guarana, L-carnitine, ginseng, glucuronolactone or inositol.

Caffeine is the real workhorse. It blocks adenosine, a brain chemical that promotes sleep and relaxation, making people feel more awake, alert and temporarily energised. It also triggers the release of adrenaline, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and breathing.

Consumer Reports, after analysing dozens of energy drinks, found caffeine levels ranging from as little as 6 milligrams to as much as 242 milligrams per serving. Some containers also contain multiple servings, meaning consumers may unknowingly consume much higher doses than intended.

For comparison, a typical cup of coffee contains roughly 100 milligrams of caffeine, while a 12-ounce serving of Coca-Cola contains about 50 milligrams.

Sugar provides the second punch. Large quantities of rapidly absorbed sugar cause blood glucose levels to spike, creating a quick burst of energy. Most brands of energy drinks named by the FSSAI contain nearly 27 gm of added sugar – the upper limit of sugar an adult can have everyday as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Also, that energy surge is often followed by a sharp drop, commonly described as the "crash", leaving people feeling tired again and encouraging repeated consumption.

Taurine, despite its reputation, is not a stimulant. It is a naturally occurring amino acid that is added in synthetic form, usually between 500 and 2,000 milligrams, because it may support cardiovascular function and exercise performance. Some researchers also believe it may reduce some of caffeine's unpleasant side effects.

However, taurine itself does not create the feeling of stimulation. That sensation comes overwhelmingly from caffeine, amplified by sugar.

The remaining ingredients, including B vitamins, guarana and herbal extracts, are generally included for marketing appeal or to complement caffeine's effects rather than independently generating substantial energy.

INSIDE THE CANS

Although formulations vary, the six brands named by FSSAI follow a broadly similar recipe centred around caffeine, sugar and taurine.

Red Bull Energy Drink sold in India contains water, sucrose, glucose, citric acid, carbon dioxide, taurine (0.4%), acidity regulators including sodium bicarbonate and magnesium carbonate, caffeine (0.03%), vitamins B3, B6, B2 and B12, along with permitted flavours and colours.

A standard 250 ml can provides about 75 mg of caffeine, 1,000 mg of taurine and around 27 g of sugar.

PepsiCo's Adrenaline Rush contains carbonated water, sugar, taurine (0.04%), caffeine at around 29 mg per 100 ml, vitamins B3, B6 and B12, acidity regulators, antioxidant, preservative, artificial sweeteners including sucralose and acesulfame potassium, and permitted colours.

Sting Energy Drink contains carbonated water, sugar, acidity regulators, taurine, caffeine (0.03%), preservatives, artificial sweeteners, inositol, vitamin premix, synthetic colour and added flavouring substances.

Monster Energy sold in India contains carbonated water, sucrose, glucose, citric acid, sodium citrate, taurine (0.4%), Panax ginseng root extract, caffeine (0.03%), L-carnitine, vitamins B3, B5, B6 and B12, sucralose, glucuronolactone, inositol and guarana seed extract. Its sugar-free Ultra variants replace sugar with artificial sweeteners.

Campa Energy Drink Gold Boost contains carbonated water, sugar, acidity regulators, caffeine ranging from roughly 9.4 mg to 30 mg per 100 ml depending on the variant, caramel colour, preservative and flavouring substances.

Hell Energy contains water, sugar, citric acid, carbon dioxide, taurine at 400 mg per 100 ml, sodium citrate, caffeine at about 32 mg per 100 ml, flavourings, caramel colour and vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. A standard 250 ml can contain approximately 27.25 g of sugar.

The common thread running through all these beverages is unmistakable: substantial amounts of caffeine, sugar and taurine supported by vitamins and flavouring agents.

India Today reached out to Red Bull and PepsiCo for their comments. Red Bull referred us to the Indian Beverage Association, and we have also sent a message to them. This copy will be updated if and when a reply is received.

WHY SCIENTISTS WORRY

For healthy adults, consuming moderate amounts of caffeine is generally considered safe. The concern begins when caffeine arrives in very concentrated doses, often alongside large quantities of sugar, and is consumed quickly, repeatedly or mixed with alcohol.

That combination has become increasingly common among teenagers, college students, gym-goers and young professionals seeking instant alertness.

Researchers have documented a growing number of adverse health events associated with excessive energy drink consumption. The most frequently reported symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, dehydration, palpitations, gastrointestinal disturbances and rapid heartbeat.

More worrying are reports of severe complications affecting multiple organs. Scientific reviews have linked heavy energy drink consumption with rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, seizures, acute mania, stroke, ventricular fibrillation and other serious cardiovascular abnormalities.

A recent review examining acute and chronic energy drink consumption found that cardiovascular and nervous system complications were among the most commonly reported adverse outcomes.

The review identified nine reported cases of cardiac arrest linked to energy drink consumption, three of which proved fatal.

While these cases do not establish that energy drinks alone caused every death, they have intensified scientific concern about the potential cardiovascular effects of high-dose stimulant consumption.

In the US, energy drinks have repeatedly drawn regulatory attention following reports of adverse events submitted to health authorities.

Emergency physicians have also reported increasing numbers of young people presenting with heart rhythm disturbances, elevated blood pressure and other complications after consuming large quantities of these beverages, particularly when combined with strenuous exercise, alcohol or underlying medical conditions.

Scientists emphasise that most people who consume an occasional energy drink will not experience severe complications. But risk appears to rise with repeated high intake, underlying heart disease, sensitivity to caffeine, dehydration or combining multiple stimulant products.

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