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The caffeinated 5-Hour Energy drinks are touted as being easy to consume, having as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, and providing alertness for several hours, but they may have a serious side effect for some consumers: death, according to new reports.
Shelly Burgess, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told Bloomberg News that 5-Hour Energy is linked to at least 13 deaths, 32 hospitalizations, and 47 other adverse event reports.
Living Essentials, the producer of 5-Hour-Energy, told The New York Times that the products are safe and that it is “unaware of any deaths proven to be caused by the consumption of 5-Hour Energy.”
The FDA agency has launched an investigation into the reports.
In a statement to CBS News, the FDA said that it “must carefully investigate and evaluate all possible causes before deciding whether the product actually caused the medical problem.”
The Times report said that of the reports, more than 30 were serious or life-threatening, including heart attacks, convulsions, and at least one spontaneous abortion.
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