Energy drinks are beverages that contain caffeine and are designed to help increase alertness, concentration and energy.
Energy drinks are available in a wide range of flavours and come in a variety of formulations, including sugar-sweetened, low- or no-sugar, and no-added-sugar options, giving consumers more choice to suit different preferences and lifestyles.
Tap any ingredient to learn what it is and what it does in energy drinks.
Caffeine occurs naturally in foods and drinks such as coffee, tea and chocolate, and may also be added to drinks to provide a functional effect. Naturally occurring and added caffeine are chemically identical and have the same effect on the body.
Don’t just take our word for it – Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has put together a helpful comparison of the average caffeine content in common foods and drinks.
FSANZ confirms daily safe caffeine limits across different age groups.
Source: FSANZ
Energy drinks are strictly regulated in Australia
Energy drinks are regulated under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, with strict requirements for maximum caffeine levels, permitted ingredients, mandatory advisory statements and labelling. These requirements are developed and independently reviewed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), Australia’s independent food regulator.
Taurine, B-vitamins and other inputs must meet Food Standards Code limits.
An energy drink can contain a maximum of 80 mg of caffeine per 250 mL, about the same as a cup of instant coffee.
Most caffeine in Australian diets comes from coffee and tea, not energy drinks.
Australians aged 12-17 years consume an average of 43mg of caffeine per day from all dietary sources.
Only 2% of respondents aged 12-17 consumed an energy drink on the day of the ABS nutrition survey.
Energy drinks and alcohol
People have been consuming caffeine and alcohol together for decades. Research examining this practice has found no consistent evidence that caffeine masks the effects of alcohol or reduces a person’s awareness of their intoxication.
The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) 2015 scientific opinion on caffeine confirmed that consuming 200mg (around 2.5 × 250mL energy drinks), with a blood alcohol level of 0.08%, does not affect the safety of caffeine consumption and is unlikely to mask the subjective perception of alcohol intoxication.
These findings are consistent with earlier reviews, including those by the United Kingdom’s Committee on Toxicity, which also found no evidence of a harmful interaction between caffeine and alcohol.
While caffeine may make you feel more alert, it does not reduce the effects of alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, always drink responsibly.
All members of the Australian Beverages Council (ABCL) involved in the manufacture or distribution of energy drinks have voluntarily agreed to the following commitments:
not direct any marketing and advertising activities at children
not market energy drinks as only providing hydration
not sell energy drinks in primary or secondary schools
not use labelling to promote the mixing of energy drinks with alcoholic beverages
not promote excessive consumption
provide consumers with up-to-date information about energy drinks on the ABCL website
not manufacture or sell energy shots
These commitments are in addition to ABCL members’ compliance with the marketing and advertising Codes set out by the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), as well as the requirements of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Find out more about energy drinks and caffeine here.