One of the primary functions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is to maintain a level playing field and ensure fairness in collegiate athletics. The NCAA puts out a list of banned drugs and stimulants to enforce strict regulations on substances that athletes can consume, containing eight drug classes, according to ncaa.org. The energy drink Celsius has come under recent scrutiny because it contains ingredients banned under the class of stimulants, according to upressonline.com.
Celsius markets itself as a fitness drink that boosts metabolism and provides energy. However, its inclusion of certain ingredients has raised concerns. The NCAA Banned Substances List includes stimulants like guarana, ginseng, L-carnitine, and taurine. Experts attribute performance-enhancing effects to these compounds, which is why the NCAA prohibits them in collegiate sports, according to ncaa.org.
Guarana is a plant extract rich in caffeine. Typically, coffee beans contain one to three percent caffeine, but a guarana seed contains two to eight percent. Although the NCAA does not ban caffeine itself, it closely scrutinizes its sources. The NCAA specifically lists guarana as a caffeine source that falls under its restrictions, according to uspressonline.com.
Celsius emphasizes that consuming the drink responsibly, such as limiting intake to one or two cans per day, keeps caffeine levels below the NCAA’s 15 micrograms per milliliter urine threshold. The company also points out that no NCAA athlete has been declared ineligible due to consuming Celsius, according to celcius.com.
Beyond the regulatory issues, health professionals express concerns about the potential side effects of energy drinks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that energy drinks can adversely impact the nervous system, raise blood pressure and heart rate, and increase breathing, according to breathinglabs.com. Christina Cauliffe, Head Athletic Trainer, Upper and Middle School Health Teacher, and Health and Wellness Department Chair, shared her own thoughts on Celcius. She feels that Celcius potentially affects young teens who drink the caffeinated beverage.
“The total that any one young adult should consume is eighty to one hundred milligrams [of caffeine] per day” Mrs. Cauliffe said. “So we [consumers] are already getting two times the amount of caffeine, and that’s not including any other drinks that a young athlete would consume during the day.”
Celsius poses significant health risks to adolescents due to their high caffeine content and the potential for developing early tolerance. Each can contains approximately 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, exceeding the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended daily limit of 100 mg for teens, according to jm.feau.com. Regular consumption can lead to caffeine dependence, with withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and irritability. Additionally, early exposure to high caffeine levels may disrupt sleep patterns, impair cognitive development, and increase the risk of anxiety and cardiovascular issues, according to pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Mrs. Cauliffe talked about the risks of drinking energy drinks with double the amount of caffeine.
“If that athlete has any hopes or dreams of competing at the NCAA level, anything above eighty milligrams of caffeine is also banned by the NCAA” Mrs. Cauliffe said. “Getting used to caffeine in their high school years will then severely impact the first couple of years of competing at the NCAA level.”
Featured Image by Casey Smith ’26
