--- title: What Energy Drinks Cause Hyperactivity in Kids description: Middle schoolers who consume sweetened energy drinks are 66% more at risk for hyperactivity, according to a recent study. canonical: https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-09T15:22:27.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:40:48.058Z article:section: Health og:title: What Energy Drinks Do to Kids og:description: Study finds link to hyperactivity and inattention og:url: https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta58950c47fa0398d/69877e3b35ba6f3f1fc06f5e/139838315-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4250 og:image:height: 2391 og:image:alt: 139838315 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Energy Drinks Do to Kids twitter:description: Study finds link to hyperactivity and inattention twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta58950c47fa0398d/69877e3b35ba6f3f1fc06f5e/139838315-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:38 video:published: 2014-10-09 section: business topics: Red Bull lawsuit, class action settlement, consumer refunds, false advertising, energy drink marketing, caffeine content, guarana, settlement cap, claims process genre: news, consumer news explainer tones: informative, wry, cautionary emotions: amusement (low), skepticism (medium), anticipation (low) sentiment: neutral audience: consumers who bought Red Bull, people interested in class action settlements, advertising and marketing professionals, general news readers organizations: Red Bull, BEVNet products: Red Bull, guarana transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Energy Drinks May Drive Kids to Distraction > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=2efb9f1b-b24a-4bfc-96a7-0a0b586d7f20&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Red Bull Lawsuit Settlement Means You Can Get $10 [Watch (HLS stream): Red Bull Lawsuit Settlement Means You Can Get $10](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/UMKuXb45.m3u8) (1:38)  _Published 2014-10-09. You can get $10 from Red Bull under a proposed settlement simply by saying you purchased one of the energy drinks between 2002 and 2014 … as long as the settlement money holds out._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video explains a proposed $13 million class-action settlement involving Red Bull's marketing claims, under which consumers who bought the drink between 2002 and 2014 can claim a $10 cash reimbursement by signing up online. It covers the plaintiffs' allegations that the drink provides only caffeine-based energy and that the "wings" slogan oversold its benefits. Red Bull denies wrongdoing and says it settled to avoid litigation costs. The video also warns that the payout per claimant may shrink if many people file. ## Key points - Consumers can claim $10 under a proposed settlement by saying they purchased a Red Bull between 2002 and 2014. (00:00) - The proposed settlement totals $13 million, which is the cap on payouts. (00:26) - Claimants can sign up for a $10 cash reimbursement, described as covering $15 worth of Red Bull, at EnergyDrinkSettlement.com. (00:28) - A final approval hearing is set for May of the following year, with cash payments sent out after that. (00:37) - Plaintiffs claimed the drink provides only caffeine for energy and that ingredients like guarana give no added benefit. (00:48) - The lawsuit cited the "wings" slogan commercial with extreme sports athletes and the human-powered flying machine competition as overselling the brand's benefits. (00:58) - Red Bull said it settled to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation, while maintaining its marketing and labeling have always been truthful and accurate. (01:09) - The video warns that if many people file claims, each individual payout will shrink. (01:25) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:26] Who qualifies for the settlement payout. The video introduces the offer of $10 for anyone who bought Red Bull in the specified period and notes the lawsuit's implications for advertising claims. - [00:26 to 00:37] Settlement amount and how to claim. The $13 million proposed settlement is described, along with the online sign-up process and the timeline for final approval and payment. - [00:37 to 01:09] Plaintiffs' claims about Red Bull marketing. The lawsuit's allegations are outlined, including that the drink offers only caffeine energy and that the wings slogan and related ads oversold its benefits. - [01:09 to 01:38] Red Bull's response and payout caveat. Red Bull's reason for settling and denial of wrongdoing are presented, followed by a warning that the payout may shrink as more people claim. ## Key quotes - [00:28] interviewer: "And you can now sign up for a $ 10 cash reimbursement of $ 15 worth of Red Bull" - [01:09] Red Bull: "Red bull settled the lawsuit to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation" - [01:16] Red Bull: "Red Bull maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been truthful and accurate and denies any and all wrongdoing or liability." - [01:25] interviewer: "Remember, $ 13 million is the cap, and enough people trying to claim their money means each individual payout will shrink." ## Questions this video answers - Who is eligible to claim the $10 Red Bull settlement payment? [00:00] - How large is the proposed Red Bull settlement? [00:26] - Where and how can consumers sign up for the settlement reimbursement? [00:28] - What did the plaintiffs claim about Red Bull's marketing and ingredients? [00:48] - Why did Red Bull agree to settle the lawsuit? [01:09] - Why might individual payouts be smaller than $10? [01:25] by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Feb 9, 2015 3:22 PM UTC  Exploding stimulation drink Exploding stimulation drink Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Feb 9, 2015 3:22 PM UTC Middle schoolers who consume sweetened energy drinks are 66% more at risk for hyperactivity than other kids, according to a new study. To assess the effect of a variety of beverages on middle schoolers, Yale School of Public Health researchers surveyed 1,649 students in 5th, 7th, and 8th grade about their beverage consumption and assessed their levels of hyperactivity and inattention. “Despite considering numerous types of beverages in our analyses (eg, soda, fruit drinks), only energy drinks were associated with greater risk of hyperactivity/inattention,” the authors write in the [study](http://www.academicpedsjnl.net/article/S1876-2859%2814%2900425-2/abstract?cc=y) published in the journal _Academic Pediatrics._ Unlike soda and juice, energy drinks often contain ingredients like guarana and taurine. The researchers say it could be the effect of these ingredients mixed with caffeine that causes problems. “Energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, sugar and other ingredients that work synergistically with caffeine. Caffeine may be contributing to this association because the caffeine content of energy drinks is far greater on average than that of soda,” the authors write. It’s important to note that the researchers could not determine that the energy drinks caused the hyperactivity and inattentiveness in the kids. The American Beverage Association has [guidelines](http://www.ameribev.org/nutrition-science/energy-drink-guidance/) for energy drink companies that recommend against marketing their products to children and not selling in K-12 schools. However,[ a January report](http://time.com/3661633/most-energy-drink-companies-market-to-minors-report-finds/) from U.S. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) shows most energy drink companies will market to young people under age 18, which the senators object to arguing there are safety concerns for teenagers as well. “Our results support the American Academy of Pediatrics [recommendation](http://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/schneidersenatecommercecommitteeenergydrinkstestimony%5F7%5F31%5F13.pdf) that parents should limit consumption of sweetened beverages and that children should not consume any energy drinks,” study author Jeannette Ickovics, director of CARE (Community Alliance for Research and Engagement) at the Yale School of Public Health[ said in a statement](http://news.yale.edu/2015/02/09/energy-drinks-significantly-increase-hyperactivity-schoolchildren). ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  Burlington, Vt. Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  Silicon Valley, Calif. Best Place for Workplace Wellness With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. Best Place for Aging Well Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  Denver and Boulder, Colo. Best Place for Keeping Fit The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  Plano, Texas Best Place for Staying Safe Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  Portland, Ore. Best Place for a Healthy Environment Small, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city. Getty Images  Boston, Mass. Best Place for Health Care This history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all. K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital  Provo and Orem, Utah Best Place for Spiritual Well-Being A stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease. Getty Images ## Transcript [00:00] Want an easy ten bucks? Just say you drank a Red Bull [00:02] some time in the last 12 years or so. Anyone thinking [00:06] they were drinking something that would take them to [00:08] the limits of their energy level, well, it's still possible I [00:12] suppose. But a newly settled lawsuit means the makers [00:15] of Red Bull maybe need to temper certain claims in [00:18] their ad. No matter how far fetched they may seem. [00:21] Red Bull gives you wiiings. The $ 13 million proposed [00:26] settlement was first reported a couple of months ago. [00:28] And you can now sign up for a $ 10 cash [00:31] reimbursement of $ 15 worth of Red Bull [ MUSIC ] [00:35] At EnergyDrinkSettlement. com. Final approval hearing [00:37] is set for May of next year with the cash getting sent [00:40] out after that. No, lawyers didn't claim people injured [00:43] themselves trying to fly, or were disappointed they [00:46] didn't get actual wings, though that has been parodied [00:48] more than once on YouTube. The plaintiffs claim the [00:52] drink only provides caffeine for energy. Ingredients like [00:55] guarana give no added benefit over anything else with [00:58] caffeine in it. The lawsuit also cited the wings slogan [01:01] commercial with extreme sports athletes and the [01:03] annual [ INAUDIBLE ] home made human powered [01:06] flying machines as reasons the brand over sold its own [01:09] benefits. The company previously told BEVNet, Red [01:12] bull settled the lawsuit to avoid the cost and distraction [01:16] of litigation. However, Red Bull maintains that its [01:19] marketing and labeling have always been truthful and [01:21] accurate and denies any and all wrongdoing or liability. [01:25] But the settlement might not be what everyone hoped [01:28] for. Remember, $ 13 million is the cap, and enough [01:31] people trying to claim their money means each [01:34] individual payout will shrink. 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