Energy drinks no better than caffeine, study suggests

Despite the "special blend" of ingredients, energy drinks work no better than ordinary caffeine at helping us pay attention, a new study suggests.

In the study, researchers examined participants' brain activity while they performed a task designed to require attention. Specifically, the researchers looked at how fast the brain responded to a change in letters appearing on a computer screen.


"A lot of people take the energy drinks because they think they have that extra boost over caffeine," said study researcher Chelsea Benham, a student at Centre College in Danville, Ky. But the study shows "there's really no difference," Benham said.

In terms of boosting attention, a cup of coffee "would do you just as well," if it had the same amount of caffeine as an energy drink, she said.