By Mike Leifheit, PharmD
Pharmacy Clinical Coordinator, Blanchard Valley Health System
Caffeinated beverages are no longer limited to just coffee and soda these days. Caffeine can be found in popular energy drinks, teas and loaded teas. Looking at loaded teas and energy drinks, you will find different amounts of vitamins, antioxidants, supplements and stimulants (mainly caffeine). Most of these products have trendy names and are advertised on social media platforms.
Products like energy drinks and loaded teas are sold as nutritional supplements which allow them to bypass some of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulations. As long as the label on these products contain the disclaimer “these supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA,” the product can make claims about increasing energy, enhancing performance and boosting the immune system.
