You may see some news coverage on energy drinks today. Here at Sip & Savor, we want to make sure you have access to the facts. So we thought we would start by dispelling some common some myths.

Myth: Energy drinks aren’t regulated.

Fact: Energy drinks, their ingredients and labeling are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — even those that are labeled as a dietary supplement using a Supplement Facts panel, instead of a conventional food using a Nutrition Facts panel. And, as with most consumer products, energy drink advertising is subject to oversight from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

You may hear people falsely claim that youth are the major consumers of energy drinks. What you may not hear is:

Fact: A report on caffeine consumption among the U.S. population commissioned by FDA in 2009, and then updated in 2010 and again in 2012, indicated that teens and young adults ages 14 to 21 years consume, on average, approximately one-third the amount of caffeine as people over 21 – about 100 milligrams per day – and that most of their caffeine consumption is from beverages other than energy drinks (Somogyi 2012). Importantly, the 2012 report also showed that the average amount of caffeine consumed has remained constant.

So, when you watch the news today – and every day  hereafter – and you find yourself reading an energy drink story, remember: energy drinks have been enjoyed safely by millions of people around the world for more than 25 years, and in the United States for more than 15 years. Plain and simple.