# Why are energy drinks so !@#$%^& expensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849 "2016-07-01T03:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/61 "2016-07-01T21:57:42Z")
Maybe related to the energy crisis? ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/62 "2016-07-02T00:23:37Z")
Drink water. Need caffeine? Coffee is like 5 cents a cup. Pepsi Max or similar high caffeine “soft drink” 15-20 cents a cup. You can buy caffeine pills in the pharmacy section of any store. a bottle of 200 mg will run you about a nickel per. Need amino acids? Eat a steak. If you need energy, sleep. If that doesn’t help, see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/63 "2016-07-02T05:20:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What a world we live in, where a so-called “energy drink” would advertise and brag about how little energy it gives you. > > When people say “energy” in this context, what they really mean is a caffeine high, and they only need energy drink quantities because they’re badly addicted. It would never be socially acceptable today for someone to say the same thing about opium, or even alcohol or cigarettes. Why is caffeine addiction so mainstream? Because the world needs it to function. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/65 "2016-07-02T06:37:32Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Drink water. Need caffeine? Coffee is like 5 cents a cup. Pepsi Max or similar high caffeine “soft drink” 15-20 cents a cup. Greetings, DARPANET user! In the distant future of 2016, these things will be a bit more expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/66 "2016-07-02T15:04:05Z")
Because it requires _so_ much energy to make them. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/67 "2016-07-02T15:09:36Z")
> [@GunnarFranz](#): > > Assuming he isn’t being quaint - > 8 monsters a day > 56 a week > 240 a month > 2920 a year > > That is $5840 + tax + deposit… $6000 a year on monster. . Yea! An intelligent person. I don’t know how many times I’ve met people who don’t have enough money each month to pay their electric bill or whatever. Yet they buy a soda pop/drink once a day. I have tried and tried to explain that these daily expenses add up. They say “It is just a dollar!” Not it is NOT a dollar! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/68 "2016-07-02T15:13:54Z")
> [@Me\_Billy](#): > > Yea! An intelligent person. I don’t know how many times I’ve met people who don’t have enough money each month to pay their electric bill or whatever. Yet they buy a soda pop/drink once a day. > > I have tried and tried to explain that these daily expenses add up. They say “It is just a dollar!” > > Not it is NOT a dollar! It sounds like **Bear\_Nenno** has his finances in order, given his last post, and can afford the luxury. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/69 "2016-07-02T19:55:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **octopus** : > > Because the world needs it to function. That’s no answer. The only reason the world needs caffeine to function is because so many people are addicted. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/70 "2016-07-02T22:50:15Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > It could be alcohol and meth. I hear ya. If it werent’ for the hookers and blow, I’d be rich, I tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/71 "2016-07-03T16:17:58Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > I hear ya. If it werent’ for the hookers and blow, I’d be rich, I tell ya. Tell me about it. There was a time in my life when I could purchase a quarter ounce of gold for the same price as a quarter ounce of Lebanese Blonde hash. And if I had made different choices financially I’d be pretty set right now. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/72 "2016-07-05T15:50:23Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Drink water. Need caffeine? Coffee is like 5 cents a cup. Pepsi Max or similar high caffeine “soft drink” 15-20 cents a cup. You can buy caffeine pills in the pharmacy section of any store. a bottle of 200 mg will run you about a nickel per. Need amino acids? Eat a steak. > > If you need energy, sleep. If that doesn’t help, see a doctor. Basically it boils down to the fact that some people don’t like coffee / don’t like hot drinks, but still want a comparable amount of caffeine. (ISTR that energy drinks and coffee are roughly equivalent at about 150-200 mg of caffeine per serving). I do agree that the energy drinks are by far the most expensive way to get your caffeine fix, but that’s none of my business really, if people want to spend their money that way. In a funny bit of trivia, the caffeine in energy drinks primarily comes from the decaffeination of coffee. So one way or another, they’re getting their caffeine from coffee. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/73 "2016-07-05T17:45:05Z")
Is it safe to drink energy drinks if you’re older? Or a lot even if you’re younger? I mean, is it any more dangerous to your heart than drinking coffee from morning till night? I remember reading about some ghastly problems caused by drinking energy drinks, but no one has paid any attention. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/74 "2016-07-05T23:07:29Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Today, for instance, I’ve had 7 Monsters. Im about to have another. Probably not a good idea. See the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position paper on energy drinks: > **[International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: energy drinks -...](https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-1)** > > Position Statement: The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) bases the following position stand on a critical analysis of the literature on the safety and efficacy of the use of energy drinks (ED) or energy shots (ES). The ISSN has... > [@](#): > > Position Statement: **The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) bases the following position stand on a critical analysis of the literature on the safety and efficacy of the use of energy drinks (ED) or energy shots (ES)**. The ISSN has concluded the following. 1. Although ED and ES contain a number of nutrients that are purported to affect mental and/or physical performance, the primary ergogenic nutrients in most ED and ES appear to be carbohydrate and/or caffeine. 2. The ergogenic value of caffeine on mental and physical performance has been well-established but the potential additive benefits of other nutrients contained in ED and ES remains to be determined. 3. Consuming ED 10-60 minutes before exercise can improve mental focus, alertness, anaerobic performance, and/or endurance performance. 4. Many ED and ES contain numerous ingredients; these products in particular merit further study to demonstrate their safety and potential effects on physical and mental performance. 5. There is some limited evidence that consumption of low-calorie ED during training and/or weight loss trials may provide ergogenic benefit and/or promote a small amount of additional fat loss. However, ingestion of higher calorie ED may promote weight gain if the energy intake from consumption of ED is not carefully considered as part of the total daily energy intake. 6. Athletes should consider the impact of ingesting high glycemic load carbohydrates on metabolic health, blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as the effects of caffeine and other stimulants on motor skill performance. 7. Children and adolescents should only consider use of ED or ES with parental approval after consideration of the amount of carbohydrate, caffeine, and other nutrients contained in the ED or ES and a thorough understanding of the potential side effects. 8.\*\* Indiscriminant use of ED or ES, especially if more than one serving per day is consumed, may lead to adverse events and harmful side effects\*\*. 9. Diabetics and individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatorenal, and neurologic disease who are taking medications that may be affected by high glycemic load foods, caffeine, and/or other stimulants should avoid use of ED and/or ES unless approved by their physician. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/75 "2016-07-05T23:55:11Z")
And then, in the energy drink line, there’s [this](http://imgur.com/nKGE8). ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/76 "2016-07-06T04:52:54Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Water, you mean, like, from the toilet? I am shamed that it took me this long to get the Idiocracy ref. Where’s the self-whooshed smiley when you need it? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/77 "2016-07-06T05:15:09Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Probably not a good idea. See the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position paper on energy drinks: > > [International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: energy drinks | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition | Full Text](http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-1) Weasel words in their conclusions. The conclusion (one paragraph up from the last section) of the article suggests no such thing, unless the person has cardio problems. While 7-8 drinks a day is _probably_ not the healthiest thing you can be doing to your body, I would not accept the absence of empirical evidence. Also the article doesn’t seem to consider zero calorie or zero carb alternatives, and it appears to me that some brands make many examples of these. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/78 "2016-07-06T14:49:40Z")
Their ad costs are high vs total sales. To reach the intended audience and to be associated with cool, it requires expensive global sponsorship of some of the most expensive adventure and sporting campaigns in the world, from Formula 1 racing to airplane racing. Red Bull sponsors so many adventure and sports teams, it’s hard to imagine. . ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/79 "2016-07-06T15:17:05Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Weasel words in their conclusions. The conclusion (one paragraph up from the last section) of the article suggests no such thing, unless the person has cardio problems. While 7-8 drinks a day is _probably_ not the healthiest thing you can be doing to your body, I would not accept the absence of empirical evidence. Also the article doesn’t seem to consider zero calorie or zero carb alternatives, and it appears to me that some brands make many examples of these. Okay, take a look at this study: > **[Detrimental effects of energy drink consumption on platelet and endothelial...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20103032/)** > > Energy drink consumption acutely increases platelet aggregation and decreases endothelial function in healthy young adults. > [@](#): > > BACKGROUND: > Energy drink consumption has been anecdotally linked with sudden cardiac death and, more recently, myocardial infarction. As myocardial infarction is strongly associated with both platelet and endothelial dysfunction, we tested the hypothesis that energy drink consumption alters platelet and endothelial function. > METHODS: > Fifty healthy volunteers (34 male, aged 22+/-2 years) participated in the study. Platelet aggregation and endothelial function were tested before, and 1 hour after, the consumption of 250 mL ( **1 can** ) of a sugar-free energy drink. Platelet function was assessed by adenosine diphosphate-induced (1 micromol/L) optical aggregometry in platelet-rich plasma. Endothelial function was assessed via changes in peripheral arterial tonometry and expressed as the reactive hyperemia index (RHI). > RESULTS: > **Compared with baseline values, there was a significant increase in platelet aggregation following energy drink consumption, while no change was observed with control (13.7+/-3.7% vs 0.3+/-0.8% aggregation, respectively, P \<.01)**. Similarly, RHI decreased following energy drink consumption (-0.33+/-0.13 vs 0.07+/-0.12 RHI [control], P \<.05). **Mean arterial pressure significantly increased following energy drink consumption, compared with control (P \<.05)**. Heart rate was unaffected by energy drink consumption. > CONCLUSION: > **Energy drink consumption acutely increases platelet aggregation and decreases endothelial function in healthy young adults.** ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/80 "2016-07-06T15:23:52Z")
At a gas station malt liquor is cheaper than bottled water. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849/81 "2016-07-06T18:58:01Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Okay, take a look at this study: > > [Detrimental effects of energy drink consumption on platelet and endothelial function - PubMed](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20103032) Thanks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-energy-drinks-so-expensive/758849.md?page=5)