Do we care what we consume? - Final Draft

“Do we care about what we consume?”

            Do you ever feel like you are constantly doing something? Do you constantly feel like you never have a minute to sit down and relax? I know that I feel this.  In the world today, we are always doing some type of errand, working, or cleaning.  Most people, including myself, are exhausted at the end of everyday or even sometimes during the day.  In order to keep our bodies awake and running, there are products that give us a little boost when needed.  Monster energy drinks are one of many products that do just this.  So if you’re a college student that has multiple exams to study for the night before, Monster energy drinks usually become your best friend and help you keep your eyelids from shutting.

            The workers for Monster energy drink say that Monster is a lifestyle in a can (Monster Energy Drink).  Most companies spend their money on promoting the company through billboards, commercials, and radio promotions.  For Monster, they do none of this.  They allow athletes, bands, and their fans to wear there clothing to promote their product (Monster Energy Drink).  Like most companies, Monster has competitors.  Red Bull is probably the number one competitor in the field of energy drinks.  Although most people think that they do the same thing, the two companies do make different products.  Red Bull only comes in one flavor, either sugared or sugar-free.  Monster has approximately 25 different flavors, each having its own unique flavor.  Some of them have espresso mixed in the flavor while others have java coffee in them.  In my eyes, having a variety of different flavors makes Monster a better company than Red Bull.

            Monster Energy, Lo-Carb, Assault, Khaos, Rehab “Green Tea + Energy”, and Java Monster Toffee are just a few of the many unique flavors that are offered to consumers (Monster Energy Drink).  One of the ones I enjoy sipping on after a long night is Monster Assault.  After drinking a can of this, I feel re-energized and ready to accomplish anything.  Each flavor is designed to have different side effects than others.  For instance, Monster Rehab is designed to “quench your thirst, re-hydrate you like a sports drink would, and bring you back after a hard day’s night (Monster Energy Drink).”  Monster Absolutely Zero was made with zero calories and no sugar, to show that they can be somewhat good for you (Monster Energy Drink).  With this being said, what really makes these beverages any worse than a soda pop?

            There have been times in my life where I have to stay up very late after a 10-hour workday and study for 3 exams the next day.  When this happens, I rely on a Monster energy drink.  From my experience, they really do work and do what I need them to do, which is keep me awake longer than my body would allow me to if I didn’t drink the can.  I’m sure this is the case for most college students.  In fact, there was a research conducted back in 2007 that 51% of college students consumed more than one energy drink a month during the academic semester (Paddock).  In the world today, they are being used as an “ingredient in alcoholic cocktails (Paddock).”  Combining alcohol and caffeine is one of the worst things for you yet we still continue to do it.  Why is this? The main reason is because it tastes so good and makes you feel wide-awake.  Energy drink companies realize that promoting their beverages to young adults is a key success to their business. 

The history of the energy drink is very interesting.  When these drinks entered the North American market, they had exotic names, catchy slogans, and expensive marketing campaigns (Paddock).  Over time, they have become available everywhere, in places like vending machines, grocery stores, and even your nearby 7/11 convenience stores.  Supermarkets are shelving these drinks in their stores adjacent to sport drinks like Gatorade and PowerAde to show a relationship between the two (Paddock).  Little strategies like this one allows us to believe that these two products are related in a positive way.   

            Now, did you know that some people feel that energy drinks are so bad for you that they are beginning to be banned by college athletics?  The NCAA, which is the National Collegiate Athletic Association, classifies caffeine as a banned substance to a certain extent, based on how much is consumed (Norwood).  It is said to believe that “if someone is consuming a lot of these drinks at a championship level and is tested, they could test positive,” based on the amount they have consumed (Norwood).  These drinks lead to dehydration, which is not good for an athlete while participating in a game or event.  Because of these effects, coaches at the college and professional level warn their players the consequences if they are caught consuming these products.  If you’re an athlete and enjoy participating in your sport, there’s one simple rule to follow: Don’t drink energy drinks! 

            Some people may argue how bad energy drinks are for you.  With each can containing approximately 200 calories and about 50 grams of sugar (depending on the flavor), some can argue that it is not the worst substance to consume and people take worse thing into their bodies (Monster Energy).  Although we all know they are not the best products for our bodies, we still continue to purchase this product and the producers know this.  There has been research where a school nurse had sent “three students to the hospital by ambulance because they had irregular heart rates brought upon by the consumption of energy drinks (Paddock).”  The producers of these products realize that even though American consumers understand the negative affects of their can full of deliciousness, consumers will still purchase their product and keep them in business.  This drink almost becomes like an addictive drug.  Once you consume it, you keep going back for more.

            We can continue to research this topic about the positive and negative effects of energy drinks.  At the end of the day, you will still have those people who feel strongly about the negative effects and those who don’t feel like it is a problem.   So why do we consume this beverage? Its used to boost your energy, quench your thirst, to flavor smoothies, and to mix cocktails with (Paddock).  In our cultures today, more and more young adults and teenagers are buying this beverage on a daily basis.  They are buying it either to help them stay awake or just because they enjoy the taste of it running down their throats.  They are choosing this product over a bottle of water or even sometimes over a cup of coffee.  In the long run, this could have a negative effect on future generations to come.  Do we even care about what we are putting into our bodies?  Is it worth it to take the chance of ruining your health over this product? Those are questions that every person should ask himself or herself before handing their money over in exchange for a lifestyle in a can. 

Works Cited

Monster Energy. 1 December 2011 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Energy>.

Monster Energy Drink. 2011. <http://www.monsterenergy.com/us/en/home/>.

Norwood, Robyn. NCAA, other leagues monitoring enery drinks. 1 December 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/sports/story/2011-12-01/ncaa-some-leagues-monitoring-energy-drink-use/51557618/1>.

Paddock, Russ. Enery Drinks' Effects on Student Athletes. 2008. <http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/energy-drinks-effects-student-athletes-and-implications-athletic-departments>.