--- description: Middle schoolers who consume sweetened energy drinks are 66% more at risk for hyperactivity, according to a recent study. title: What Energy Drinks Do to Kids image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta58950c47fa0398d/69877e3b35ba6f3f1fc06f5e/139838315-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Research](/tag/research/) ## Research Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Energy Drinks May Drive Kids to Distraction ## 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._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 9, 2015 3:22 PM CUT  Exploding stimulation drink Exploding stimulation drinkGetty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 9, 2015 3:22 PM CUT 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 "undefined") 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/ "undefined") 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/ "undefined") 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 "undefined") 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 "undefined"). ### 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 ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/"},"headline":"Energy Drinks May Drive Kids to Distraction","datePublished":"2015-02-09T15:22:27.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:05:46.478Z","description":"A new study finds a link between consumption of energy drinks and hyperactivity and inattention","url":"https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/","keywords":["Research","kids","Caffeine","Energy drinks"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta58950c47fa0398d/69877e3b35ba6f3f1fc06f5e/139838315-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta58950c47fa0398d/69877e3b35ba6f3f1fc06f5e/139838315-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"139838315","caption":"139838315","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/","name":"Energy Drinks May Drive Kids to Distraction"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Red Bull Lawsuit Settlement Means You Can Get $10","description":"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.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/UMKuXb45/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-10-09T18:10:59.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/UMKuXb45.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/","duration":"PT1M38S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3700842/energy-drinks-kids/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```