In the Hungarian food safety authority Nébih’s 2024 Szupermenta test, laboratory analysis of 35 energy drinks found no food safety problems in any of the tested products.
This finding applies to the 35 products tested. The test also identified labelling and quality issues.
According to EFSA’s 2015 scientific opinion, single doses of up to 200 mg of caffeine and daily intakes of up to 400 mg, from all sources combined, do not raise safety concerns for healthy, non-pregnant adults.
These amounts refer to the combined intake from all sources of caffeine.
According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)’s 2026 assessment, moderate, single-occasion consumption of energy drinks containing up to 200 mg of caffeine is not expected to cause adverse health effects in healthy adults.
Energy drinks are intended for healthy adults; they are not recommended for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
A 250 ml can of a typical energy drink containing 32 mg of caffeine per 100 ml contains 80 mg of caffeine, roughly equivalent to the caffeine in an espresso.
Caffeine content varies in both coffee and energy drinks; serving size also matters when making comparisons.
In MESZ’s 2026 laboratory test, 11 of 17 espresso samples contained more caffeine than a typical 250 ml energy drink containing 80 mg of caffeine.
The measurements describe the 17 servings tested; they are not a representative survey of the entire Hungarian coffee market.
The caffeine molecule is identical in coffee, tea, guarana and energy drinks; daily caffeine intake should be counted from all sources together.
In the 2016 study by White and colleagues, the choice of energy drink or coffee and differences in consumption method had only small effects on caffeine absorption and its fate in the body.
The taurine used in energy drinks is typically produced synthetically and is not of animal origin. Taurine also occurs naturally in the human body; the claim that energy drinks contain bull semen is a myth.
According to EFSA, taurine and glucuronolactone at the concentrations typically present in energy drinks do not affect the safety assessment of a single caffeine dose of up to 200 mg in healthy adults.
If an energy drink is labelled as a beverage containing an added vitamin, the stated vitamin must be present in a significant amount: for beverages, the applicable level is at least 7.5% of the NRV per 100 ml. Under authorised EU claims, vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
NRV means the daily nutrient reference value established for adults. Health claims may be used only when their conditions of use are met.
Under EU rules, the relevant beverages containing more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre must carry a high-caffeine warning and state the caffeine content in mg per 100 ml. In Hungary, from 1 January 2026, drinks meeting the legal definition of an energy drink must display the term “energiaital” in their principal field of vision in lettering with an x-height of at least 3 mm.
The 3 mm refers to the x-height, not the full height of a capital letter. The EU rule provides an exemption for certain coffee- and tea-based beverages.
The Six Continents Index 2026 project assessed 151 products against 36 criteria chosen by the project. HELL Energy Classic (250 ml) achieved the highest score, 90 points, and first place in the assessed sample.
According to the Six Continents Index – Energy Drinks 2026 results, every product in the global top 20 of the assessed products was European, while North America ranked last by average continental score.
The project compared products from six continents. Its results apply to its own sample and methodology.
According to the Six Continents Index 2026 public summary, 85.7% of the European sample and 12% of the North American sample were pasteurised; clearly pasteurised products were almost absent from the South American sample. In North America, 80.8% of the sample was sugar-free, while in Europe 74.3% consisted of traditional sugared products.
The percentages describe the project’s sample, not the entire range of products on each continent. The figures are those reported on the current project website.
The findings below apply to the participants, formulation, dose and measurement methods of the particular study; they do not guarantee the same effects for every energy drink and every consumer.
In Souza and colleagues’ meta-analysis of 34 studies, a single intake of caffeinated energy drinks was associated with favourable results in some measures of muscle strength, muscular endurance, endurance testing and jumping performance.
In Prins and colleagues’ randomised, double-blind study, 18 recreational endurance runners completed a 5 km run approximately half a minute faster on average after consuming 500 ml of an energy drink than after a placebo.
In Ivy and colleagues’ 2009 study, 12 trained cyclists completed a simulated time trial faster after consuming 500 ml of an energy drink than after a placebo, without an increase in perceived exertion.
In Mets and colleagues’ 2011 simulated motorway driving study, 250 ml of an energy drink reduced participants’ sleepiness and improved lane keeping. It does not replace rest.
In Reyner and Horne’s 2002 controlled simulator study, the tested energy drink reduced sleepiness during driving and improved alertness.
Simulator results do not mean that driving while tired is safe; if you feel sleepy, stop and rest.
In Chtourou and colleagues’ 2019 randomised, double-blind study, the tested energy drink improved reaction time and some measures of short-term maximal physical performance in 19 male physical education students.
In Scholey and Kennedy’s 2004 controlled study, the tested drink improved some measures of secondary memory and speed of attention compared with a placebo.
In the 2001 studies by Alford, Cox and Wescott, some measures of physical and cognitive performance were more favourable after consumption of the tested energy drink than under the control conditions.
Aluminium can be recycled repeatedly with appropriate collection and processing. According to the International Aluminium Institute, producing recycled aluminium requires up to 95% less energy than producing primary aluminium. This compares material production, not a drink's entire life cycle, and does not establish that every can is actually recycled.
As a general rule, the EU prohibits the use of BPA in the relevant food-contact materials and coatings. The general transitional deadline for first placing on the market single-use final articles made with BPA that complied with the previous rules was 20 July 2026.
The regulation also contains exemptions and additional transitional periods; separate stock provisions apply to packaging placed on the market before the deadline and to the food it contains.
Edited summaries with sources · Updated: 31 October 2026