Walking down a Fenwick hallway before first period, it appears to be an advertisement for the popular energy drink, Celsius. Virtually every third student you might pass is
clutching this elixir of life. These energy drinks contain 200mg of caffeine per serving. This immediate burst of energy is what has brought them to fame…that is, until now. According to Topclassactions.com, Celsius has become involved in a $7.8mil class action lawsuit as a result of beverages being marketed as containing “no preservatives”. But this isn’t the only misunderstanding of the Celsius drink. The drink is marketed as being healthy, to attract attention among other energy drinks. The can contains labels that say, Sugar Free, healthy energy, accelerates metabolism, burns body fat, and more. All of these labels make the drink seem too good to be true…and it is. Consuming the level of caffeine that Celsius contains on a regular basis is extremely harmful to one’s health. The CDC comments on this saying heart complications among other issues can occur from drinking highly caffeinated beverages such as Celsius. There have been cases of Atrial Fibrillation and various heart rhythm disturbances that have been linked to people overusing Celsius drinks with the misunderstanding that they are good for you.

Not only are Celsius drinks bad for you physically, they also are bad for you mentally. AP Psychology teacher Erin Power says, “Caffeine is the most commonly used psychoactive drug, acting as a central nervous system stimulant. Caffeine can cause physical dependence and people often experience withdrawal symptoms when ceasing use.” So many American teens have no idea they are repeatedly consuming a drug that isn’t just “getting them going” but is directly altering their reward pathway to keep them going back for more. But, there is hope. Though it may take time, reducing the use of caffeine is possible. Staying away from beverages caffeinated to the level of Celsius is necessary to maintain positive heart health. Reducing your caffeine intake to coffee which takes more to feel the effects of the drug is one way to start. So let your fellow Celsius-drinking-friars know about the epidemic nobody is talking about.