The energy drink business is suffering from a buzzkill. Incident reports
released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reveal five people may
have died over the past three years after drinking the popular Monster Energy.
Shelly Burgess, an FDA spokeswoman, told The New York Times the agency received reports of five deaths possibly linked to the drink as well as an additional report of a heart attack. FDA said the incidents are considered to be allegations and that no conclusion is drawn until an investigation is completed, Bloomberg reported.
The revelation raises questions about the high levels of caffeine in energy drinks and comes 10 months after the death of a 14-year-old girl who consumed two 24-ounce energy drinks within a 24-hour period. The parents of Anais Fournier have sued Monster Beverage Corp. for wrongful death after she was induced into a coma and taken off life support, according to the lawsuit that was filed in California Superior Court in Riverside.
"Monster does not believe that its beverages are in any way responsible for the death of Ms. Fournier," the company said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg through an outside spokesperson. "Monster is unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks."
Shelly Burgess, an FDA spokeswoman, told The New York Times the agency received reports of five deaths possibly linked to the drink as well as an additional report of a heart attack. FDA said the incidents are considered to be allegations and that no conclusion is drawn until an investigation is completed, Bloomberg reported.
The revelation raises questions about the high levels of caffeine in energy drinks and comes 10 months after the death of a 14-year-old girl who consumed two 24-ounce energy drinks within a 24-hour period. The parents of Anais Fournier have sued Monster Beverage Corp. for wrongful death after she was induced into a coma and taken off life support, according to the lawsuit that was filed in California Superior Court in Riverside.
"Monster does not believe that its beverages are in any way responsible for the death of Ms. Fournier," the company said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg through an outside spokesperson. "Monster is unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks."
Caffeine levels in energy drinks can range from 160
to 500 milligrams per serving, according to a report released last year by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). That same
organization found the number of emergency room visits due to energy drinks rose
ten-fold between 2005 (1,128) and 2009 (13,114), according to a letter from U.S. Sen. Richard J. Durbin to FDA
Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.
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