| Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis | | | | expanded rapidly across Europe, into the USA and |
| Energy Drinks - Older Than We Think! | | | | other English-speaking markets. |
| Demand for these drinks has steadily increased | | | | A product with this much financial advantage |
| since they first came onto Western markets in | | | | cannot hold market share for long, and since |
| the early 1990s, so we have all assumed that | | | | there has been hundreds of competitors flooding |
| they are a relatively recent addition to the | | | | the market. These drinks are one of the largest |
| recreational drinks available through Energy Drinks. | | | | growing sectors of the beverage market. Even |
| In fact, energy type drinks have been around in | | | | market giants, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have |
| Japan since 1962, when Taisho Pharmaceuticals | | | | introduced their own versions. There are energy |
| released a drink called Lipovitan-D. This drink | | | | drinks to suit every group, music taste, sport |
| contained vitamins B1, B2 and B6 as well as niacin | | | | (mainstream and obscure), health or fashion trend. |
| and taurine, all ingredients designed to increase | | | | Even the female market hasn't been ignored, with |
| concentration and energy. This drink, and others | | | | an energy drink being marketed specially at |
| like them, became extremely popular in Japan, | | | | women. |
| Thailand and Korea, especially among the | | | | There has been some controversy, energy drinks |
| working-class who possibly needed a boost to get | | | | being banned by some government agencies in |
| through a long day. | | | | countries such as France, Denmark, Norway and |
| These drinks were also produced in other | | | | Argentina. This is due to the level of caffeine |
| countries much earlier than the 1960s. Scotland | | | | content within the drink. However, their popularity |
| had their own version, Irn-Bru, in the early 1900s, | | | | continues to grow, and it's really a case of |
| and Lucozade Energy in 1929 was used in the | | | | "everything in moderation", and using common |
| British hospital system to assist patients to | | | | sense about the quantity of stimulants safely |
| replenish lost energy. Whether or not these drinks | | | | consumed in any twenty-four hour period. |
| had similar ingredients to Lipovitan-D is a matter | | | | No doubt there are already teams of scientists |
| for conjecture, but they were marketed as | | | | somewhere, analysing, testing and prodding at the |
| energy boosters. | | | | potential dangers of taurine, one of the main |
| The most well known energy drink to hit the | | | | ingredients of energy drinks. This substance is |
| Western markets was Red Bull, introduced by an | | | | produced naturally in the body, but not a lot is |
| Austrian entrepreneur who had tasted energy | | | | known about the amounts that are considered |
| drinks on a trip to Thailand. Through a partnership | | | | optimum, nor how it interacts with caffeine. All |
| agreement with the Thai manufacturers, Dietrich | | | | the user knows is that it sharpens concentration |
| Mateschitz brought the drink back to Europe, | | | | and produces a shot of energy just when it's |
| adapted it for Western tastes and began selling it | | | | needed. |
| early in the 1990s. | | | | One thing is certain. Energy drinks continue to |
| Through a clever marketing of pitching the drink | | | | grow in popularity, and while they are still legal, |
| to adrenaline junkies in high-risk sports, and | | | | reasonably pleasant tasting, and make people feel |
| making sure it was visible on the club scene, Red | | | | great, the demand will be there for Energy Drinks |
| Bull created a market where there was none, and | | | | to continue the supply. |