Over the years, energy drinks have grown in popularity among teens and tweens. These drinks are often marketed directly to these kids either through endorsements or product placement. Often, they’re in brightly colored containers and have enticing fruity flavors. One such energy drink that has risen in popularity over the past few years is Alani Nu.
But now, one teen on TikTok is sharing the story of how the energy drink negatively impacted her health. Her story highlights the possible side effects of these drinks, but people are still skeptical.
The teen shared her ‘unexpected’ hospital trip story.
Cam Jarrell, a teen from Kentucky, posted a photo of herself on TikTok from the hospital. In it, she can be seen with wires taped to her forehead. “In case anyone needs a reminder to stop drinking Alanis,” she wrote over the image.
The post has over 16 million views and 46,000 comments. “Energy drinks are for people who work over 40 hours, Anyone else should just be drinking tea,” one person commented.
She posted a longer explanation about exactly what led to her being hospitalized.
According to Jarrell, she started drinking Alani Nu as a freshman in high school and would have one “every school day.” In another post she mentioned that her mom bought packs of the drink at Costco. But the scare happened when she was a sophomore. During chemistry class, she asked a friend to go with her to the nurse’s office. She claimed she was scared to “fall down in the hallway.”
As an assistant teacher helped her out of the classroom, and Jarrell collapsed. She was then unconscious for about eight minutes. And when she did come to, she could see and hear, but she couldn’t move her body. She stayed that way for about an hour and a half.
The teen then spent several hours at the hospital while she went through a litany of tests, including an EEG and MRI. When the tests results came back, the doctors attributed her sudden illness to the Alani Nu drinks. “They said I could still have some caffeine, just not that much in that kind of drink,” she explained.
Her video ended with her begging the company to make a decaffeinated version of their drink.
@cam211294 Alani story time #alani #grwm #viral #blowup #storytimes #caffineaddict #makemefamous #fypシ ♬ original sound – cam cam
People seemed to blame her, not the drink.
“High schoolers should NOT be drinking energy drinks,” one commenter wrote.
Someone else wrote: “You are a minor, they aren’t for kids. 😬 it says it on the can. If you drank it too fast or on an empty stomach that could make it a million times worse.”
“Stop blaming Alani Nu!!!!!” another person exclaimed. “It’s not the drink it’s the caffeine!”
Someone else chimed in: “Don’t blame it on the Alani. I’ve had this exact feeling for years even prior to drinking Alani. Get multiple opinions. Alanis should not cause that.”
So, does Alani Nu have too much caffeine?
According to the Alani Nu website, it has 200 milligrams of caffeine. The Food and Drug Administration says that 400 milligrams is a “safe” amount of caffeine for consumption. However, it also says that the effects will vary from person to person. This is especially true for children.
“Too much caffeine in children and teens can cause increased heart rate, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, anxiety, and lead to sleep problems, digestive problems and dehydration,” the site reads.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
