Getting that extra lift of energy at the end of the day may come at a deadly cost. Unfortunately, for 14-year-old Anais Fournier, her desire to kick-start her day with energy drinks resulted in her tragic death in 2011.

Fournier drank two 24-ounce Monster energy drinks, unwittingly guzzling 480 milligrams of caffeine — about the same found in 14 cans of Coca Cola — that’s nearly five times the limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. A day later, the teen went into a cardiac arrest and six days later she was dead.

Caffeine toxicity is a growing problem in America with caffeine overdoses rising dramatically. Energy drinks have become heavily marketed, one-stop solutions that discourage healthy habits to maintain and sustain energy throughout the day. Teens like Fourneir are among the top consumers of energy drinks and are responsible for nearly half of all caffeine overdoses.

Here are three alternatives to energy drinks that help give you a boost without the potentially fatal side effects:

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One Comment

  1. Many energy drinks have a caveat somewhere on the container that recommends not using the product if one is under eighteen. Where was parental oversight?

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