Even with the push for more regulation, energy drinks are gaining popularity with students.

“If I’m really dead tired that week, I’ll drink one so I can stay awake and stay focused,” said sophomore biochemistry major Priyank “Bunty” Shah.

Some, like health educator Steve Lux, believe energy drinks are neither good nor bad. He believes the way they are used is the problem. Others like Martha O’Gorman, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant at the Recreation Center, wouldn’t recommend them as a source for energy.

“There are healthy and unhealthy uses just like any other drug,” Lux said.

Both, however, agree that energy drinks need greater regulation in the United States to inform consumers of their contents and their possible effects. Some countries, including Norway, Uruguay and Denmark, have banned some energy drinks, and some sports have also banned the use of them, Lux said.

When learning the range of caffeine per ounce from product-to-product, Lux said he was surprised to see energy drinks can vary between under 3 milligrams to over 170 milligrams.

Many energy drinks also contain guarana, which can have three to four times the amount of caffeine as coffee beans. Many are unclear if the caffeine from guarana is included with the overall caffeine content listed on the drink, O’Gorman said.

Both Lux and O’Gorman agree that caffeine in moderation will not have any adverse effects; however, a person’s weight and the serving size of the drink should be considered when consuming any, O’Gorman said.

“I do believe people can get some positive effects, but I do think with lack of regulation or knowledge they can get themselves into trouble,” Lux said. He added, though, some people can still abuse energy drinks like any other drug.

When too much caffeine is consumed, a person might see an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, sleep interference, feelings of nervousness and irritability, heart palpitations and gastrointestinal upset. When experiencing these symptoms, the use of caffeine should be

discontinued, O’Gorman said.

Shah said he tries to only drink them when he really needs them, like when he is studying for a test, but has cut back his consumption after seeing negative effects after drinking more than one in a sitting.

“It gives you a major crash, and you can hardly wake up the next day, so I stopped doing it,” Shah said.

Other students like junior accountancy major April Coppelman avoid energy drinks.

“The taste is way nasty and it makes me too hyper and jittery,” she said. She tries to replace the need for energy drinks with adequate sleep.

O’Gorman said usually those who are fatigued are suffering from a combined imbalance in sleep, fuel and fluid. If those three components are not an issue, then a medical consultation would be recommended.