Why are energy drinks bad but coffee is fine?

[EllieRosesMammy]

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer. How come during pregnancy you can have up to 200mg of caffine from tea or coffee, but energy drinks are a big no? Even a small can of energy drink that contains less than half of the reccomended amount of caffine are still apparently not okay. Is it the additional ingredients?

[SnooperTrooper12345]

I've wondered this... Id imagine it's maybe the sugar and stuff too 🤔 I don't know.
Because I can have a large drink at Starbucks for the same caffeine content 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Luckyelephant1]

It's cos different energy drinks are full of shit loads of other crap e.g. taurine in Red Bull. Can't find any extensive studies that have shown effects of such ingredients but the consensus is that its safer to avoid them altogether. They're not exactly recommended when not pregnant either!

[AlohaMolly]

Weren’t there stories a few years ago about energy drinks being linked to heart attacks in young people? That’s purely something I’ve remembered off the top of my head, no science

[Chelyanne]

I've known people to drink them throughout pregnancy and not report any ill effects.
Problem is like pp has said in general they're just not good for us. The full sugar ones can increase risk of GD as can any other high sugar drinks inc fruit juices. They do tend to add in vitamins in large quantities too so you have to be careful about not exceeding safe doses.

[SunnySideUp2020]

What @Luckyelephant1 said.
Some energy drinks contain additives other than caffeine which aren't recommended even when not pregnant!!!!

[Tier500]

This study was published in august - I don’t think even coffee is fine anymore:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/aug/24/no-safe-level-coffee-drinking-pregnant-women-study-says

[kensue19]

I think it's a wonder energy drinks are even allowed at all. They are full of so many artificial ingredients and additives and have been strongly linked in much research to raised blood pressure, which is obviously a big concern in pregnancy.

[SnooperTrooper12345]

They're good points.
I don't drink them pregnant or not so wasn't actually sure.
I always presumed it was just the caffeine.

As I think it's the high amount of caffeine and kids drinking several cans one after the other that causes the massively increased heart rates. Or at least that's what I presumed.

[EllieRosesMammy]

Cheers everyone. I've stopped drinking them during pregnancy obviously was just wondering why up to 200mg of caffine in coffee was okay but not in an energy drinks. You can get zero sugar ones now too so if it's not the sugar content it must be the other random special ingredients 👀🤢