Walk around any high school or university and you will definitely find energy drinks. Energy drinks are served in tall cans with garish designs and slogans designed to attract the attention of children and adolescents. But what are they? Advertisements will tell people that just by drinking them they can stay up all night, pass a test, be successful with a girl, and be happy. Some even said to give yourself superpowers. According to advertising campaigns, energy drinks are equivalent to omnipotence in a can. But are energy drinks all they claim to be? The simple answer is no. Often, energy drinks turn out to be more than sugar and caffeine, making them dangerous. Energy drinks cause negative side effects, such as heart problems and obesity among young Americans, and therefore should be restricted to 18-year-olds. Before drinking another energy drink, please consider some of its ingredients. “The high amounts of sugar in energy drinks can lead to unnecessary spikes in blood sugar, dental health problems and additional weight gain.” (Readers digest editors 1). "Compare it to a popular soda and you'll find that energy drinks often contain even more sugar than regular soda." (Readers digest editors 1). A single can of Monster contains more than 50 grams of sugar. That's almost a quarter of a cup of sugar! Many health risks can result from ingesting so much caffeine and sugar in a short period of time. People who drink energy drinks often regularly notice a decrease in the amount of sleep they get each night, which has an immediate and detrimental impact on their concentration and overall health. Energy drinks contain obscene amounts of caffeine, sugar and chemicals. A can of normal soda, like Coke or Dr Pepper, ...... middle of paper ...... the dangers of consuming energy drinks at a reasonable age would be 18 years old. These measures, if adopted, could seriously help combat the energy drink problem and reduce the number of adolescents suffering from the health problems that accompany them.Works CitedReaders digest editors, . “The dangers of energy drinks.” Readers digest it. n/a 1. Print. Sadowska, Joanna. "EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF CONSUMPTION OF AN ENERGY DRINK ON GLUCOSE AND TRIACYLGLYCEROL CONCENTRATION AND ON FATTY TISSUE DEPOSITS. A MODEL STUDY.." 11.3 (2012): 311-318. ebsco. Internet. March 11, 2014. Sara M. Seifert, BS, Judith L. Schaechter, MD, Eugene R. Hershorin, MD, Steven E. Lipshultz, MD, . “Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.” 127.3 (2011): 511-528. Google Scholar. Web. March 11, 2014. “Seconds count.” scai. No. Web. March 11 2014.