Energy Drinks
Everyday exposureFood & drinkAlso called · 8 names▾▴
energy drink, energy drinks pregnancy, caffeine drink, energy shot, pre-workout drink, guarana drink, taurine drink, energy beverage
Drinks
General information · effects depend on amount, timing, and how it is used. About these sources
Research strength: 2 / 5
NHS and EFSA set pregnancy caffeine guidance at 200 mg per day from all sources, including energy drinks. EU law requires drinks above 150 mg/L caffeine to carry a pregnancy warning. James's 2026 review argues against caffeinated drinks during pregnancy, but only its abstract was checked. Ding et al. reported an association between energy-drink use before pregnancy and gestational hypertension, but their study cannot show cause and effect. Ding did not report trimester-specific results, and only 47 pregnancies had energy-drink use reported during pregnancy. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancyUK government
- EFSA: Caffeine and the 2015 Scientific OpinionEU agency
- European Union: Regulation 1169/2011EU agency
- James 2026: Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Pregnancy OutcomesUS government
- Ding et al. 2023, JAMA Network OpenUS government
Research strength: 2 / 5
NHS and EFSA set pregnancy caffeine guidance at 200 mg per day from all sources. EU law requires a warning on drinks above 150 mg/L caffeine. James's 2026 review argues against caffeinated drinks during pregnancy, but only its abstract was checked. Ding et al. reported an association between energy-drink use before pregnancy and gestational hypertension, but their study cannot show cause and effect. Only 47 pregnancies had energy-drink use reported during pregnancy, so those estimates were imprecise. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancyUK government
- EFSA: Caffeine and the 2015 Scientific OpinionEU agency
- European Union: Regulation 1169/2011EU agency
- James 2026: Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Pregnancy OutcomesUS government
- Ding et al. 2023, JAMA Network OpenUS government
Research strength: 2 / 5
NHS and EFSA set pregnancy caffeine guidance at 200 mg per day from all sources. FDA reports that energy-drink caffeine amounts vary by brand and container size. EU law requires a pregnancy warning above 150 mg/L caffeine. James's 2026 review argues against caffeinated drinks during pregnancy, but only its abstract was checked. Ding did not report trimester-specific outcomes, and the study cannot show cause and effect. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancyUK government
- FDA: Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?US government
- European Union: Regulation 1169/2011EU agency
- EFSA: Caffeine and the 2015 Scientific OpinionEU agency
- James 2026: Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Pregnancy OutcomesUS government
- Ding et al. 2023, JAMA Network OpenUS government
Energy Drinks — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 2 / 5
NHS lists energy drinks as a caffeine source and gives a suggested daily limit of 300 mg while breastfeeding. EU law requires a high-caffeine warning above 150 mg/L, including a breastfeeding warning; that concentration trigger is not a daily total. FDA advises people who are breastfeeding to discuss caffeine limits with a health professional. Ding et al. studied pregnancy outcomes, not breastfeeding outcomes. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- NHS: Food and drinks to avoid when breastfeedingUK government
- European Union: Regulation 1169/2011EU agency
- FDA: Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?US government
- Ding et al. 2023, JAMA Network OpenUS government
Pregnancy
Ding et al. (2023) analyzed two U.S. prospective cohorts. The prepregnancy analysis included 7,304 pregnancies in 4,736 participants, and during-pregnancy intake data were available for 4,559 pregnancies. The authors reported an association between prepregnancy energy-drink intake and gestational hypertension (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.29). They reported no association with pregnancy loss, preterm birth, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or the composite outcome for prepregnancy use. For during-pregnancy intake, 47 reported users were included, and the study found no association with the listed outcomes in NHS3; those estimates were imprecise. Intake and outcomes were self-reported, energy-drink use and intake levels were low, and the study could not establish cause and effect. The study did not report trimester-specific results.
Breastfeeding
NHS advises that people who consume caffeine while breastfeeding keep intake at or below 300 mg per day and lists an energy drink can as a caffeine source. EU labeling rules separately require a high-caffeine warning on drinks above 150 mg/L. FDA advises people who are breastfeeding to discuss whether they need to limit caffeine with a health professional. The sources reviewed here provide caffeine guidance but do not directly compare breastfeeding outcomes after consumption of complete energy-drink blends. No infant-effect conclusion is made in this entry.
FDA reports that U.S. energy drinks can contain about 54 to 328 mg of caffeine per 16 fl oz, with container sizes and amounts varying by product. FDA says most U.S. energy drinks list total caffeine from all sources, including ingredients such as guarana, on the label. EFSA describes caffeine in energy drinks alongside ingredients such as taurine and D-glucurono-gamma-lactone. The FDA's 2004 rule covers dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids, not ordinary caffeine energy drinks. It declared those supplements adulterated because they presented an “unreasonable risk of illness or injury.” The rule expressly excludes over-the-counter and prescription drugs containing ephedrine alkaloids; FDA describes pseudoephedrine as a medicine used in prescription and over-the-counter congestion products.
What was tested
Ding et al. assessed energy-drink intake with food frequency questionnaires and compared reported use before and during pregnancy with reported pregnancy outcomes. This was an observational cohort analysis, not a randomized trial. The study did not compare brands, test each drink formula, or examine breastfeeding outcomes. FDA reports that energy-drink caffeine content and container sizes vary by product.
Caffeine and energy-drink guidance during pregnancy
- Source A says
- EFSA reports that caffeine intake up to 200 mg per day from all sources does not raise fetal concerns. NHS advises a 200 mg per day total caffeine limit and includes energy drinks among caffeine sources. (EFSA: Caffeine topic and 2015 Scientific Opinion summary, NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy)
- Source B says
- James's 2026 narrative review argues against consumption of caffeine-containing coffee, tea, sodas, or energy drinks during pregnancy. (James 2026: Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Pregnancy Outcomes)
- Why they differ
- EFSA and NHS describe total caffeine intake limits, while the review takes a stricter view across caffeinated drinks.
- Other sources
- Ding et al. report a pooled prepregnancy association with gestational hypertension and no statistical heterogeneity between cohorts. Antonio et al. describe the association as reported only in NHS3, which omits the pooled estimate. The 2024 review discloses multiple author ties to sports-nutrition and energy-drink companies. (Ding et al. 2023, Intake of Energy Drinks Before and During Pregnancy and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, Antonio et al. 2024: Common Questions and Misconceptions About Energy Drinks)
- What the evidence shows overall
- The 2026 review is a contrary expert view, not a new energy-drink pregnancy cohort. The direct human energy-drink evidence remains limited, and Ding's cohort is observational.
- FDA reports that caffeine amounts and container sizes vary by product; product labels can be checked for declared caffeine information. (FDA: Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?)
- NHS estimates 80 mg of caffeine in a 250 ml energy drink can during pregnancy; larger cans may contain more. (NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy)
- NHS estimates 80 mg in a 250 ml energy drink can and says larger cans may contain up to 160 mg while breastfeeding. (NHS: Food and drinks to avoid when breastfeeding)
- FDA advises people who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding to discuss caffeine limits with a health professional. (FDA: Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?)
Not enough research found yet.
Experiences from moms and non-medical voices. Not medical evidence.
- Ding et al. 2023, Intake of Energy Drinks Before and During Pregnancy and Adverse Pregnancy OutcomesUS governmentPrimary
- EFSA: Caffeine topic and 2015 Scientific Opinion summaryEU agencySecondaryIndependent check
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancyUK governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-06-15Independent check
- FDA: Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?US governmentSecondaryPage dated 2024-08-28
- European Union: Regulation 1169/2011 on food information to consumersEU agencySecondaryPage dated 2025-04-01Independent check
- NHS: Food and drinks to avoid when breastfeedingUK governmentSecondaryIndependent check
- FDA: Final Rule Declaring Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids AdulteratedSecondaryPage dated 2004-02-11
- FDA: Legal Requirements for Drug Products Containing Pseudoephedrine, Ephedrine, and PhenylpropanolamineUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2024-07-12
- Antonio et al. 2024: Common Questions and Misconceptions About Energy DrinksPrimaryPage dated 2024-12-17
- James 2026: Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Pregnancy OutcomesUS governmentPrimary
Last reviewed 2026-10-18
Independent check 2026-10-18
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.