Energy Drink Warning To Student Athletes

August in Arkansas-- the hot temps, the return to school and the start of Friday night football... But while student athletes, marching bands and cheerleaders are practicing, doctors are sending out this warning about popular energy drinks.

"Because these products will give you an energy boost, some students will take these because prior going to workout or practice and they may make you more susceptible to heat-related injuries," says Dr. Bill Gurley, at the UAMS College of Pharmacy. 

He says that's because many of these energy drinks are loaded with caffeine.

"Young men that drink these and go to practice, the stimulatory effects could be such that you may not realized you're getting overheated."

These Parkview High School football players are told to stay away from energy drinks. 

"From what I know they get you up for a little bit but then they put you right back down, so we don't even touch energy drinks 'round here," says Khlais Dozier, Senior Offensive Lineman.

Another problem with drinks like Monster and Adrenalyn Stack… some of them don't say how much caffeine's in them. Take Rocks for instance.

"It tells you how much of the plant product is in it, but it doesn't tell you how much caffeine is in it. Most of them don't," Dr. Gurley says.

One website we found, energyfiend.com lists just how much caffeine energy drinks have. Boo-Koo Energy has 360 milligrams of caffeine per drink. Redline has 250 milligrams and Fixx has 500 milligrams. Dr. Gurley says right now, the FDA doesn't regulate how much caffeine is in energy drinks, which in turn means, there's no limit on how much caffeine one drink can have.

This fall, Dr. Gurley's team at UAMS will study the effects of energy drinks.