Labeling Energy Drinks: Tackling a Monster of a Problem
By Meredith P. Mulhern, J.D. & Michael S. Sinha, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.
Food Law,
March 2025
Energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements, meaning they are not directly regulated by the FDA before hitting store shelves. Instead, energy drink labels follow the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) guidelines. Under DSHEA, energy drinks face lax labeling regulations, which leaves consumers unaware of the dangers of high caffeine contents, stimulative additives, proprietary blends, and excessive sugar. The authors discuss the dangers of energy drinks, the current regulatory framework and the problems it causes, why these problems should be corrected, and potential policy changes to fix those problems.
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