HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — The highly caffeinated Monster Energy Drink has been cited in five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack, according to reports the Food and Drug Administration is investigating.
The reports claim that people had adverse reactions after they consumed Monster Energy Drink, which comes in 24-ounce cans and contains 240 milligrams of caffeine, or seven times the amount of the caffeine in a 12-ounce cola.
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News of the FDA's investigation follows a filing last week of a wrongful death suit in Riverside, Calif., by the parents of a 14-year-old girl who died after drinking two, 24-ounce Monster Energy Drinks in 24 hours.
An autopsy concluded that she died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity and the medical examiner also found that she had an inherited disorder that can weaken blood vessels.
But the child's parents claim Monster failed to warn about the risks of drinking its products."As with any reports of a death or injury the agency receives, we take them very seriously and investigate diligently," Shelly Burgess, a FDA spokeswoman, said in a statement.
And the FDA isn't the only regulator scrutinizing the safety of the drinks. The FDA caps the amount of caffeine in soda to 0.02%, but there is no such limit for energy drinks.In August, New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued subpoenas to energy drink makers, including Monster, as part of the state's investigation of the industry.
