For most, caffeine is a daily part of life. According to researchers from Pennsylvania State University, approximately 85% of the U.S. adult population consumes at least one caffeinated beverage per day. But as common as it is, caffeine is a stimulant drug, and daily intake should be regulated. The FDA says that 400 mg of caffeine is the high end for a “safe” dose for healthy adults. However, the levels are lower for sensitive groups such as those with cardiac abnormalities. 

Coffee shops and cafes around the country all have their own versions of teas and energy drinks to supplement for coffee. Panera Bread, for example, has its famous Charged Lemonade, which contains 390 mg of caffeine. Historically, the large amounts of caffeine in the Charged Lemonade have not been well advertised, being marketed “with as much caffeine as our dark roast coffee.” But this advertisement could be very misleading. According to the Panera Bread menu, a large dark roast coffee has 268 mg of caffeine, which is comparable, not to the large Charged Lemonade, but to regular Charged Lemonade, containing 260 mg of caffeine. 

This fault in the advertising has led to a lawsuit against Panera. According to CNN, a college aged student with a known heart condition died after drinking a Charged Lemonade. According to the lawsuit, the student was unaware of the extreme caffeine content in the drink. Although the student had a unique circumstance of a higher sensitivity to caffeine, the levels may still be too high for students. The Columbia University Irving Medical Center says that people aged 12 to 17 should have no more than 100 mg of caffeine a day, which is less than the amount in the smallest size of Charged Lemonade. 

The lack of transparency by Panera Bread and other companies offering comparable offerings when it comes to advertising caffeine content puts people at risk for unknowingly consuming caffeine levels above the recommended threshold. This can be problematic, especially for younger people who are not aware of the dangers of caffeine. 

While students must take some responsibility to learn about the ingredients of their beverages, companies need to make that process easier. Overall, transparency regarding caffeine content and food labels in general are necessary for public safety.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Addison Joyce at [email protected].