What Rockstar Energy Drink Does To Your Body

manufacturers and sells energy drinks along with natural and fruit drinks. The company recently closed an agreement with

in which Monster transferred its non-energy drinks business to Coca-Cola and in return, Coca-Cola transferred its energy drinks business to Monster. Coca-Cola also acquired an approximate 16.7 percent stake in Monster Beverage for $2.15 billion in 2014. Energy drinks have come under a great deal of scrutiny over the past few years, especially Monster Beverage's Rockstar brand. The FDA

it is investigating reports of five deaths and a nonfatal heart attack in people who drink "high caffeine energy drinks" that were manufactured by Monster Beverage. The agency did however note that an investigation is not proof of any correlation between the reported deaths and energy drinks, but it does "signal there might be a problem." The Wall Street Journal noted that theFDA also

that there is a "long history of safe use" of products containing caffeine and that it is unaware of any scientific studies that question the safety of ingredients used in energy drinks.

25 young and healthy adults

approved by the May Clinic to examine any links between energy drink consumption and their health. Each participant consumed a can of Rockstar and a placebo that was similar in taste, texture, and colour but lacked caffeine and other stimulants found in energy drinks. The study's hypothesis was to explore if "drinking a commercially available energy drink compared with a placebo drink increases blood pressure and heart rate in healthy adults at rest and in response to mental and physical stress." The study also hypothesized that hemodynamic changes are "associated with sympathetic activation, which could predispose to increased cardiovascular risk." "In this pilot study, a commercially available energy drink significantly increased levels of blood pressure and catecholamines in young healthy adults," the study found. "Physical, mental, or cold stress did not further accentuate the blood pressure increase. These acute hemodynamic and adrenergic changes may predispose to increased cardiovascular risk." TIME

from the American Beverage Association who responded to the study and said: "The safety of energy drinks has been established by scientific research as well as regulatory agencies around the globe. Just this year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirmed the safety of energy drinks and their ingredients after an extensive review. Even so, America's leading energy drink manufacturers voluntarily go far beyond all federal requirements when it comes to responsible labeling and marketing practices, including displaying total caffeine content – from all sources – on their packages along with advisory statements indicating that the product is not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women and persons sensitive to caffeine." Of note, the study also disclosed that limitations to the study include the "small sample size" and "only one energy drink being studied." As such, further research in larger studies is necessary before reaching any conclusions.