5-Hour Energy shots can cause serious injury or death to anyone with an underlying heart condition (many people who consume the product may have undiagnosed heart conditions and are therefore at risk). We are urging our friends, family members and clients to stop using 5-Hour Energy because of uncertainty regarding its safety.

While 5-Hour Energy is not marketed to teenagers in the same manner that other energy drinks are, the warning label on the product and disclosures are problematic. For example, 5-Hour Energy does not disclose the specific amount of caffeine in its product other than saying that it “Contains caffeine comparable to a cup of the leading premium coffee.” (And even this disclosure is in such small print that it nearly impossible to read without a magnifying glass). Even this disclosure is questionable based on information reported by Consumer Reports (CR) last month. CR indicates that the 1.9 oz. shot of 5 hour energy has 215 mg of caffeine, and that a typical 8 oz. cup of coffee has 100 mg of caffeine.

Another problem with the 5-Hour energy label is that they do not indicate the amount of Taurine in their product. Instead they just list that 1870 mg of a mystery “energy blend” is in the shot. While this type of disclosure is permissible under the Dietary Supplement Act (thanks to good lobbying by the energy drink and supplement industry), it puts the public at risk.

The biggest problem with the label is that the print is so tiny that it is nearly impossible for consumers to read without squinting.

What makes no sense to me is that the FDA has all of these adverse event reports regarding various energy drinks including the thirteen 5 hour energy deaths YET THE FDA HAS NOT WARNED THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS. Now that the media is reporting on the issue the FDA says it is investigating whether the injuries and deaths are related to the energy drinks. But what have they been doing the last 4 years? In my opinion the FDA has been asleep at the wheel regarding energy drinks, and these adverse event reports just accumulate and nobody from the FDA or the energy drink companies for that matter investigates them.

If you or someone you care about has suffered a heart attack or death after consuming 5 hour energy or a similar product, contact an energy drink lawyer from our law firm at (888) 213-8140 A Silver spring personal injury lawyer will provide a free telephone consultation and determine what the next steps should be