A new kind of caffeine has taken over schools across Oregon, and is not only becoming more popular, but is also replacing coffee as an energy booster. This new kind of caffeine is in energy drinks. Teens use energy drinks to get a little extra pep in their step, typically for the school day. Many teens don’t realize the effects energy drinks have on them, which can be both positive and negative.
“They are easy for students to carry in a can without it being hot,” said Spanish teacher Maestra Timm. Timm mentioned “[She has] friends who work in the emergency room who have seen a huge increase in kids and adults coming in with major heart problems because of the energy drinks.” Timm commented,“[students] don’t know what they’re doing to their body.” The effects on one’s body can be very dangerous and even fatal at times. These conditions can be long-term or last for the rest of someone’s life.
“Although energy drinks have caffeine to help with sleep deprivation, [they] can have bad effects on one’s heart and can mess up someone’s sleep schedule,” said senior Akaila Duncan. People may lean towards energy drinks because they have a wide variety of flavors and colors, and can act as a stimulant or can calm a person down while making another person more hyper. “Energy drinks are very accessible for students, and they tend to be drawn to the design and color of them,” said senior Nate Hackstedt. What many students don’t realize is that they are made with a ton of sugar and aren’t recommended for someone under 18 years of age.
The battle of caffeine over coffee and energy drinks has spiked in recent years as energy drinks have become more popular for students, while many teachers have stuck with coffee. A sophomore, Evelyn Thomspon, mentioned that energy drinks may seem colorful and healthy to the naked eye, but they put other things in them that can have risks for young adults, and that while coffee is also bad for you, they aren’t adding a bunch of preservatives.
However, other students and teachers may have a different take on it, saying both are equally bad for you and can cause problems of addiction. This may change over the years, but right now caffeine isn’t the only problem; it’s the effects on someone’s body that take place in just a short amount of time.
