Information recently released by the Food and Drug Administration has brought into question whether or not regulations need to be issued in regards to the energy drink industry.
A mother from Maryland has filed a lawsuit against the Corona-based Monster Beverages, alleging that Monster did not do an adequate job of informing consumers of the risks posed by energy drinks. The mother says that the heart arrhythmia that killed her daughter occurred after the girl drank Monster over the course of two days.
The Freedom of Information Act request filed by the mother led to the release of information which states that five fatalities have taken place recently following the consumption of Monster Energy. However, this does not necessarily mean that a link exists. Indeed, a spokesperson for the company said their items are safe and did not lead to the teen girl’s fatality mentioned above.
The FDA has not been able to identify a link yet, and a couple months ago, the organization said not enough evidence existed at that time to call for new regulations on energy drink caffeine levels. Right now, caffeine levels do not have to be provided to consumers by manufacturers, and those same businesses can market such products as either a dietary supplement or a drink.
An Illinois senator previously called upon the FDA to force energy drink makers to disclose caffeine levels.