Many people rely on energy drinks and coffee to get through day-to-day tasks, but we don’t realize just how much caffeine we’re putting into our bodies. We drink these energy drinks daily, but how much caffeine is too much? According to Mayo Clinic, we should cap our caffeine intake at 400 milligrams a day. If you have this amount or more, you may experience weird side effects such as headaches, insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, upset stomach, and or a fast heartbeat.
Although the side effects of downing too much caffeine are less than enjoyable, people love when their daily dose of caffeine hits their system, especially when it comes from super sweet energy drinks. Before your next trip to the store, make sure you know how much caffeine in energy drinks you’re ingesting each day.
#SpoonTip: The caffeine amount in each drink was found on Caffeine Informer.
9. Mountain Dew Kickstart (69 mg per 12 fl oz)
As if regular Mountain Dew didn’t have enough caffeine as is, they released an energy drink with even more of the good stuff. This energy drink has the same amount of caffeine as a Pepsi Zero Sugar, so it won’t make you feel jittery if you drink just one can.
8. Amp Energy Original (106.5 mg per 12 fl oz)
With a name like ‘Amp,’ you’d think this energy drink would be the strongest on this list. However, its caffeine levels are actually fairly normal compared to other drinks on this list (it still has a lot of caffeine though, don’t get me wrong). Amp has about the same amount of caffeine as Awake Chocolate Bars, and lots of sugar to boot.
7. Red Bull (113.5mg per 12 fl oz)
Red Bull is fairly high on this list in terms of caffeine. What many people don’t realize is that it has about the same caffeine levels as a grande Starbucks mocha Frappuccino. So in terms of the daily caffeine intake, it’s not as high as the amount in 5-Hour energy, but it’s still pretty high up there.
6. Burn (113.5mg per 12 fl oz)
Burn Energy Drink has a high amount of caffeine content per fl oz. It has the amount of same caffeine two 12 oz cans of Mountain Dew Soda, packing more caffeine into a smaller amount of liquid.
5. Nos (120 mg per 12 fl oz)
Nos Energy Drink has an interesting name but contains the same amount of caffeine as Full Throttle. It also has about the same amount of caffeine as a Starbucks bottled Frappuccino, so sip wisely.
4. Full Throttle (120 mg per 12 fl oz)
Full Throttle sounds intense for an energy drink, am I right? But it doesn’t pack as much of a caffeine punch as some of the other drinks on this list. Equivalent to two 20-oz cans of Pepsi, it has a ton of caffeine.
3. Monster Energy (120 mg per 12 fl oz)
Known for its iconic black and green can, Monster Energy drinks are no joke. The amount of caffeine in one is almost equivalent to two packets of Crystal Light Energy and will give you a caffeine buzz if you drink too much.
2. Rockstar Punched (180 mg per 12 fl oz)
Between all the caffeine and sugar in this drink, you’ll definitely feel more awake after you down a Rockstar. The amount of caffeine in Rockstar is equal to about four Arizona Black Iced Teas. Ouch!
1. 5-Hour Energy (200 mg per serving)
5-Hour Energy has by far the most amount of caffeine of any energy drink on this list. One serving of 5-Hour Energy is pretty much the same amount of caffeine as a grande Americano from Starbucks. That’s an extreme amount of caffeine to take in in such a short amount of time. Drinking one of these is about half of the daily amount of caffeine recommended, so drink wisely.
When consuming energy drinks, remember to drink responsibly and limit your daily caffeine intake to 400mg or below. Also keep in mind that there’s more to picking an energy drink than just the caffeine content; also think about how much sugar there is and consider what ingredients you’ll be putting into your body. And just because one drink may seem like it doesn’t have that much caffeine doesn’t mean you should drink more than one!