High School

Why might we be more worried about the risks of caffeine in a Five Hour Energy drink than the caffeine in a large cup of Starbucks coffee?

1) Starbucks coffee contains only trace amounts of caffeine.
2) Five Hour Energy is marketed to children.
3) Five Hour Energy contains a lot of caffeine in a small volume.
4) One serving of Five Hour Energy contains a very large amount of caffeine.
5) Five Hour Energy contains alcohol.

Answer :

We might be more worried about caffeine in Five Hour Energy because it contains a high concentration of caffeine in a small volume, leading to a rapid intake and a higher risk of negative side effects and caffeine addiction compared to the more diluted caffeine in a large cup of Starbucks coffee. Hence option 3, 4 is correct answer.

We might be more worried about the risks of caffeine in a Five Hour Energy drink than the caffeine in a large cup of Starbucks coffee because of point 3) Five Hour Energy contains a lot of caffeine in a small volume and point 4) One serving of Five Hour Energy contains a very large amount of caffeine. Caffeine acts as a mood enhancer and provides energy but also has at least some characteristics of dependence. High concentrations, such as those found in energy drinks, can lead to negative side effects including restlessness, drowsiness, irritability, strong headaches, and caffeine addiction.

Additionally, considering that energy drinks like Five Hour Energy are often consumed quickly, they can deliver a high dose of caffeine in a short period, which might increase the risk of caffeine overdose and associated health risks. While a large cup of Starbucks coffee does contain caffeine, the volume is larger and thus the caffeine is more diluted compared to the concentrated dose in an energy drink. Furthermore, coffee is less likely to be ingested as quickly as an energy shot due to its size and temperature. Hence option 3, 4 is correct answer.