SSAI has issued notices to six energy drink brands, including Red Bull and Monster, over alleged misbranding. Doctors explain what this means and whether energy drinks pose health or fertility risks.
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FSSAI questions energy drink labels; experts say the bigger concern is what’s inside the can (Representative image/ AI-generated)
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued notices to six beverage companies, including global brands Pepsico, Red Bull and Monster, over the way their products are being marketed as “energy drinks.”
According to reports, the regulator has raised concerns over misbranding, saying the products do not meet the prescribed standards to be labelled as energy drinks under Indian food safety regulations. The companies have been asked to respond to the notices. The action also includes other brands such as PepsiCo’s Sting, Charged by Thums Up, Cloud 9 and Pro BuzZ. The move is aimed at ensuring consumers are not misled by product claims.
While the notices are regulatory in nature and do not suggest that the beverages are unsafe to consume, health experts say they offer an important opportunity to understand what energy drinks contain, and why they should be consumed in moderation.
What exactly is the issue?
The FSSAI’s action revolves around how these beverages are classified and labelled, not around an immediate food safety concern.
Several products sold as energy drinks reportedly contain ingredients and formulations that may not conform to India’s regulatory definition of an energy drink. The notices seek clarification from manufacturers over their labelling and marketing practices. For consumers, however, the bigger takeaway is to pay closer attention to what these drinks actually contain rather than relying on marketing alone.
Why do health experts urge caution?
According to Ms. Veena V, Chief Clinical Dietician and Head of the Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at Aster Whitefield Hospital, many consumers underestimate how much caffeine and sugar they consume in a day.
“Many people associate energy drinks with improved alertness and performance, but they often overlook their high caffeine and sugar content, along with stimulants such as taurine and guarana,” she says.
She explains that the problem isn’t necessarily one can of an energy drink, it is the cumulative intake.
“A person may consume coffee, tea, pre-workout supplements and energy drinks in the same day without realising how quickly the caffeine adds up.”
Excess caffeine may lead to:
-Palpitations and increased heart rate
-Elevated blood pressure
-Anxiety and restlessness
-Headaches and tremors
-Poor sleep quality
-Dehydration
Over time, frequent consumption of high-sugar energy drinks may also contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and poorer cardiovascular health.
How much caffeine is too much?
According to Veena, most healthy adults should aim to keep their total daily caffeine intake below 400 mg. However, certain groups, including pregnant women, adolescents, people with heart disease, hypertension, anxiety disorders or sleep disturbances, should be significantly more cautious or avoid energy drinks altogether.
She also recommends checking nutrition labels because caffeine content can vary considerably between brands.
Can energy drinks affect fertility?
The FSSAI notices have also renewed conversations around the possible long-term health effects of excessive energy drink consumption, including reproductive health.
Dr. Meghana Reddy Jetty, Senior Consultant – Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Laparoscopy and Aesthetic Gynaecology at Aster Whitefield Hospital, says that while drinking an occasional energy drink is unlikely to significantly affect fertility, regular and excessive consumption may indirectly influence reproductive health.
“Most international guidelines recommend that women who are trying to conceive or are pregnant keep their total caffeine intake below 200 mg per day,” she explains.
The challenge, she says, is that caffeine often comes from multiple sources, including coffee, tea, soft drinks, pre-workout supplements and energy drinks, making it easy to unknowingly exceed the recommended limit.
The lifestyle connection
According to Dr. Meghana, energy drinks are often part of a larger lifestyle pattern rather than an isolated habit.
“They are frequently consumed by people dealing with chronic stress, inadequate sleep, irregular work schedules and poor dietary habits,” she says.
These lifestyle factors themselves can interfere with reproductive hormones. For women, chronic stress and poor sleep may disrupt ovulation and menstrual cycles. For men, obesity, metabolic disorders and inadequate sleep have been linked to reduced testosterone levels, poorer sperm quality and increased oxidative stress.
She adds that the high sugar content in many energy drinks can contribute to insulin resistance and obesity, both recognised risk factors for reproductive health problems.
Energy drinks are not a substitute for sleep
Both experts agree on one point: energy drinks should never replace healthy habits.
“If someone is repeatedly relying on energy drinks just to get through the day, it may point to an underlying issue such as chronic sleep deprivation, excessive workload, poor nutrition or even an undiagnosed medical condition,” says Veena.
Dr. Meghana echoes that advice for couples planning a pregnancy.
“The focus shouldn’t simply be on avoiding one beverage but on improving overall lifestyle. Energy drinks should never replace adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, proper hydration or stress management. Small, consistent lifestyle changes made months before conception can meaningfully improve fertility outcomes for both partners.”
What should consumers do?
The FSSAI notices do not mean consumers need to stop drinking these beverages altogether. Instead, experts say they should:
-Read nutrition labels carefully.
-Keep track of total daily caffeine intake from all sources.
-Avoid using energy drinks as a substitute for sleep or balanced meals.
-Consume them only occasionally and in moderation.
-Seek medical advice if persistent fatigue is driving regular dependence on stimulants.
As India’s food regulator scrutinises how energy drinks are marketed, doctors say the bigger lesson is simple- lasting energy comes from healthy habits, not just what’s inside a can.
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