Can An Energy Drink Kill You?

Bloomberg reports that six deaths are allegedly connected to Monster Energy Drink. Josh Bloom explains the science:

The LD50 (the dose that is lethal to 50 percent of the population) for caffeine in humans is estimated to be 5000 mg. But in the presence of certain drugs that block caffeine metabolism, this amount can decrease by up to five-fold. There are about 80 drugs, including antibiotics, antidepressants and decongestants) that can do this. So, in a worst-case scenario, 1000 mg of caffeine (equivalent to 10 No Doz pills) can be very harmful–even fatal. Yet, a 24 ounce can of Monster Energy Drink supposedly (we'll get to this later) contains between 240 and 550 mg of caffeine. Assuming the higher amount, it is not difficult to see why a 14-year old girl weighing 90 pounds and taking Cipro could end up in the emergency room (or worse) by drinking two cans of the stuff.

Now for the idiocy. How much caffeine is actually in two cans of Monster Energy Drink? No one really knows. This is because these drinks are considered to be supplements and are therefore exempt from FDA labeling requirements.

Jacob Sullum puts things in perspective:

Bloomberg counts 37 reports involving Monster energy drinks, including six fatalities, during the six-year period from 2004 through 2009—an average of about half a dozen a year. By comparison, the FDA receives thousands of such reports about aspirin each year and hundreds about coffee. And as Bloomberg notes in the 12th paragraph, "the claims…don't prove causation." They show only that someone experienced a symptom after consuming a product, not that the latter caused the former.