What do energy drink contains?

Energy drinks usually contain caffeine, taurine, and vitamins. In addition, energy drinks may contain other ingredients such as glucuronolactone, flavorings or other substances allowed for soft drinks. The variety in composition and flavor is increasing, resulting in a wide range of energy drinks on the market.

Caffeine

Caffeine is found naturally in numerous plants such as coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, kola nuts, guarana, and mate. Also, caffeine can be obtained synthetically. There is no difference between natural and synthetic caffeine, both types of caffeine are safe and suitable for consumption.
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Caffeine is a typical ingredient in energy drinks, normally containing 32 mg per 100 ml. The stimulant effects of caffeine have been studied for centuries. Scientists have studied the exciting effects of caffeine for centuries. Recently the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), an independent authority responsible for assessing risks related to food and feed safety in the European Union, positively assessed the effects of caffeine on health, specifically increasing resistance physical activity, endurance capacity and the least effort in case of physical activity. 

In the European Union, there are provisions regarding the labeling of beverages that contain caffeine in an amount greater than 150 mg per liter (Regulation 1169/2011 (EU) on food information provided to consumers). According to this regulation, energy drinks must indicate on their label: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children, pregnant or lactating women ”, in addition to the amount of caffeine in milligrams per 100 ml. This data can be seen in all energy drinks sold in the European Union.  

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Taurine

Taurine is a sulfur amino acid that is not incorporated into proteins, but plays a role in many important physiological functions. These include retinal and neurological development, osmotic regulation, regulation of the level of calcium in cells, as well as immune functions. 

Taurine is present in the daily diet, for example in seafood and meat. Taurine is actively transported by all tissues and is the most common intracellular amino acid in the human body. About 0.1% of the human body is made up of taurine. Taurine is excreted through urine and bile. The amount of taurine removed varies from person to person and from day to day. In 1827 the German scientists Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin isolated for the first time taurine from the bile of an ox (from the Latin: bos taurus). 

However, taurine does not come from bulls. It is produced synthetically and is one of the main ingredients in energy drinks. In 2009 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), an independent authority responsible for assessing risks related to food and feed safety in the European Union in line with many other health authorities around the world, stated that consumption Taurine, in the amounts currently used in energy drinks, does not pose a safety risk. This has been confirmed by EFSA in their Scientific Opinion on the Safety of Caffeine (2015) 

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Sugar

Sugar is the most popular sweetener in the world. Granulated sugar, which is usually sucrose (also called “table sugar”), is widely used commercially and comes from sugar cane or sugar beet (a root vegetable). Sucrose is divided in the body into fructose and glucose. 

Energy drinks can be sweetened with sugar or a number of calorie-free sweeteners (such as aspartame). The amount of sugar used in energy drinks is comparable to the levels that are naturally present in fruit juices.

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Vitamines

Energy drinks can contain various vitamins that have a positive impact on the human body. B vitamins such as niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are often added to energy drinks. They contribute to normal energy metabolism and reduce fatigue and exhaustion. Also, pantothenic acid is important for intellectual performance. These functional properties have been confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the body responsible for assessing risks related to food safety in the European Union. 

Most energy drinks are fortified with synthetically obtained vitamins. The actual vitamin content of an energy drink is listed in the Nutrition Facts section of the label located on the back of each can. 

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Energy drinks without sugar or gluten

Sugar-free energy drinks

Some energy drinks are sweetened with sugar, (which provides caloric energy), but other sugar-free options are also available. Sugar-free energy drinks, and therefore low-calorie or no-calorie, are often sweetened with sweeteners such as aspartame. Sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame K, and sucralose are widely used as substitutes for various types of sugar in foods and beverages, such as energy drinks. People with diabetes use products that contain these sweeteners to control energy and carbohydrate intake. 

Sugar-free versions can contain one sweetener or a combination of several (such as aspartame and sucralose). These sweeteners are among the most widely evaluated and used as sugar substitutes worldwide, and have an excellent safety profile. Numerous scientific studies show that these substances are safe to use as sweetening ingredients.

The safety of these sweeteners has been evaluated by regulatory bodies around the world (for example, the US Food and Drug Administration). The authorities rely on evaluations carried out by independent  scientific institutions such as the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).

Energy drinks have been classified as food products and are marketed accordingly. Within the European Union there is no general rule for the labeling of commonly consumed foods or beverages regarding their suitability for diabetics. However, some producers of energy drinks have introduced voluntary labeling in this regard. For more information on energy drink consumption related to diseases such as diabetes, consult a healthcare professional.

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Gluten-free energy drinks

Gluten is a protein present in wheat and related cereals. Due to its adherent and viscoelastic
characteristics, which provide consistency to the final product, it is used in bread and bakery products, industrially processed foods and cosmetics. 

Celiac people, with permanent gluten intolerance, show negative reactions to foods that contain gluten. Affected people try to avoid all wheat and grain products. A gluten-free diet requires careful reading of product labels in order to avoid exposure to hidden sources of gluten.

According to the EU regulation 1169/2011 on food information to the consumer, the presence of gluten should be highlighted on the label if the final product contains it. This also applies to energy drinks.

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What is special about energy drinks?