Do you know what’s in that energy drink you bought?

Updated Feb 23, 2020
energy-drinks

Truckers who have been around a while most likely will recall the arrival in 1985 of an alternative to coffee to help keep them awake and alert on the road. Jolt Cola arrived with the none-too-subtle slogan: “All the sugar and twice the caffeine,” at a time when many soft drink companies were trafficking diet-friendly versions of their products that were sugar and caffeine-free.

Some suggest Jolt was the original American energy drink, the market for which is expected to top $19 billion in 2021. Today, every truck stop and convenience store has row upon row of energy drinks in an array of flavors and formulations, and truckers — especially younger ones — scoop them up as their beverage of choice.

Regardless of which one you buy — Monster, Red Bull, 5 Hour, Rockstar, or Full Throttle — it pays to read the label and know what’s in them before you pop the top and hit the road.

(Just FYI: While Jolt’s fortunes waned and production was eventually halted, it returned in 2017 and is available exclusively at Dollar General stores and online at Amazon.)

Caffeinated Energy Drinks Double The Consumption Of Alcohol

Image via: AHealthBlog