Energy Fiend
Energy drinks have come under a lot of fire recently…some of it – like the obsessive hand-wringing over Red Bull – is simply goofy, but some is perfectly legit. Red Bull itself doesn’t contain massive amounts of caffeine, but there are a number of drinks and “shooters” on the market now that pack quite a whallop. And – the reality is – lots of people (not just kids), don’t bother to read labels before slugging down something that tastes good. For some folks, “stimming” is a way of life – their posts on bodybuilding message boards (including the ones I moderate) confirm this.
Acute high consumption of caffeine can cause caffeine intoxication. Likewise, chronic intake can induce tolerance – and subsequent withdrawal symptoms. Thus, a little more awareness and common sense needs to be applied to the debate over energy drinks and overall caffeine consumption.
Which brings me to Energy Fiend – a caffeine database created by two self-described “caffeine addicts,” James “Caffeine Fiend” Foster and Ted Kallmyer. Energy Fiend lists the caffeine content for over 300 popular/commercial drinks and foods – so if you’re not sure about your caffeine intake from various sources, this is an excellent resource.