Energy drinks have become the go-to awakening brain boost for many students.

Caffeine, the main stimulant in energy drinks, boosts your alertness by blocking adenosine receptors that can lead to the sleepy lethargic feeling when the body gets tired. Normally your brain releases adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter that builds up and ultimately promotes sleepiness, essentially to signal rest time. Caffeine is similar to adenosine and can fit into the same brain receptors of A1 and A2A. Caffeine occupies these receptors but without activation, preventing the “its time to rest” message.

Because adenosine is blocked, neurons will now fire more freely which is where the dopamine and energy rush comes from. Yet the same chemicals that can lift you up, can also bring your system down. Once the caffeine fades, your brain is left with leftover adenosine, leading to tiredness, exhaustion, and can even leave you with a brain fog, and the least favorite, the “crash-out.” While caffeine isn’t inherently harmful nor addictive when consumed in moderation, but once consumed often, the human brain adapts to the overstimulation, making it harder to function without another dose of caffeine, often at increasing quantities as one’s tolerance rises.

Up to the age of 25, people have constantly developing brains, whose prefrontal cortex is still maturing. When consuming energy drinks with a developing brain, this cycle can become rather dangerous. In her article, “Energy Drinks Linked to ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression In Kids, Young Adults,” Kaitlin Voge says, “Young people who consume energy drinks may experience sleep disturbances and have an increased risk of ADHD, anxiety, and mood changes, and in severe cases, heart complications.” Voge adds, “In July 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed concerns about Prime Energy, a popular energy drink among children and teens that contains as much caffeine as six cans of Coke. No restrictions or bans on Prime Energy have yet been made.”

Sarah M., a Pre-Health student at HFC, says, “ I like to drink them if I know I have a long day of studying ahead or If I had a poor night of sleep. I’m not sure if it's a placebo, but for me they work. They make me feel motivated and excited to do my work. If I drink them during school, I can come home ready to do all my homework.”

Sarah’s description explains what some neuroscience researchers call “perceived alertness,” the feeling of being more awake without necessarily improving cognitive performance.

Astrid Nehlig, research director at French Institute of Health and Medical Research, has written about how caffeine influences the brain’s alertness and attention systems. Nehlig warns that the brain is actually just borrowing energy that it doesn't have.