Authored by Lauren Peysakhova
Art by Amber Briscoe
College is very fast-paced. Students are always on the go, trying to find time to keep up with their assignments, ace tests, socialize, exercise, and keep in touch with family. With all of this pressure to excel in many areas of life, students often put sleep aside. This lack of sleep results in a lack of energy throughout the day. Many students find that they need quick fixes to overcome their lack of sleep and continue to conquer the day. One quick fix has been Celsius.
Celsius is an energy drink that was first released in Sweden in 2009 and has only gained traction in the United States in the past few years [1]. This drink has been a big success in the energy drink department and claims to be completely healthy [1]. This product is marketed as carb-free, vegan, and containing only natural flavors and different vitamins [1]. Celsius provides around 200 mg of caffeine and results in a quicker energy boost than coffee [1]. However, there have been many controversies over this energy drink. An American lawsuit showed that an ingredient within Celsius is not FDA-approved and that Celsius has misleading labels [2].
Celsius has a lot of good ingredients. The Metaplus proprietary blend that the company promotes contains green tea, caffeine, guarana seed extract, taurine, and ginger root extract [2]. Green tea has plenty of antioxidants and caffeine. Guarana is a weight loss stimulant and also another source of caffeine. Taurine improves metabolism and memory, and lastly, ginger root extract has more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory attributes [2]. With these ingredients, what could be so bad about this energy beverage?
The issue is guarana: it is not an FDA-approved ingredient. Therefore, it limits Celsius from being FDA-approved [3]. Guarana is a plant found in the Amazon and is used for losing weight, enhancing athletic performance, acting as a stimulant, and reducing mental and physical fatigue [4]. Guarana contains caffeine and thus boosts the central nervous system, heart, and muscles. There is insufficient evidence, but certain studies show that guarana can help with anxiety, mental performance, and weight loss [4]. Guarana can also be considered a superfood because of the quick and intense impact that it has on the human body compared to caffeine alone [5]. In addition, it also has amino acids and provides a boost in focus and concentration.
So why is this an important ingredient to address when looking at the energy drink Celsius? It is because guarana is considered to be medicinal, and there have not been enough studies done to conclude whether this plant is safe to consume in small amounts [6]. When looking at the ingredients in Celsius, guarana is not the only source of caffeine [3]. Although Celsius does state that there are 200 mg of caffeine, it is unclear whether or not that is the true value. Combining multiple caffeine-containing ingredients, without full knowledge of the effects of guarana, poses a risk and can have unintended consequences. This is especially since there is limited information about the effects of too much caffeine on our bodies [3].
With the current lack of information surrounding guarana and the amount of caffeine actually present in Celsius, it is recommended that consumption of the energy drink is limited. As with all caffeine-containing products, some symptoms include increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, and anxiety [7]. Nutritionists do not recommend drinking Celsius, or other energy drinks for that matter. However, they do not feel the need to limit it entirely [2]. Celsius may be a better alternative to other energy drinks, due to its lack of sugars, but moderation is still key [2].
Bibliography
1. Celsius. (2023, May 24). About celsius.
2. Letenyei, D. (2023, August 16). Celsius energy drink under the microscope: Is it a wise choice
for wellness?. Green Matters. https://www.greenmatters.com/food/is-celsius-bad-for-you#:~:text=According%20to%20registered%20dietician%20Jamie,about%20200%20mg%20of%20caffeine.
3. Whitney. (2023, September 17). Is the celsius drink good or bad for you?. The Mother
Runners.
4. RxList. (2021, June 11). Guarana: Health benefits, side effects, uses, Dose & precautions.
5. Blossom. (2023). How guarana’s caffeine is different from Coffee’s caffeine. How Guarana’s
Caffeine is Different from Coffee’s Caffeine. https://drinkblossom.com/pages/how-guaranas-caffeine-is-different-from-coffees-caffeine#:~:text=Guarana%20was%20much%20more%20effective,sustained%20testing%20throughout%20the%20day
6. Elsevier, Inc. (2023). Guarana oral dosage forms. Cleveland Clinic: Gurana Oral Dosage
Forms.
7. Berg, S. (2022, July 8). What doctors wish patients knew about the impact of caffeine.
American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-impact-caffeine#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAnxiety%20and%20unsafe%20behaviors%E2%80%94especially,supplemental%20caffeine%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20added
8. Burrows, T., Pursey, K., Neve, M., & Stanwell, P. (2013, March). What are the health
implications associated with the consumption of energy drinks? A systematic review. Oxford Academic. https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/71/3/135/1898088
9. Dalbo, V. J., Roberts, M. D., Stout, J. R., & Kerksick, C. M. (2008). Acute effects of
ingesting a commercial thermogenic drink on changes in energy expenditure and markers of lipolysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-5-6
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