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Are You a Monster or a Rock Star? A Guide to Energy Drinks
This guide to so-called "energy drinks" tackles the three most common questions surrounding these controversial Are they safe? Do they work? How do they work? Discover the key factors that make energy drinks safe or unsafe. Meet the 20 most common ingredients found in energy drinks and learn the basic science to how they work. With this guide and the "Levels of Fatigue" outlined within, anyone can maximize energy while minimizing health risks.
197 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Robertson
1 book14 followersDanielle Robertson Rath (the “GreenEyedGuide”) has nearly 20 years experience researching caffeine and energy drinks, plus 10 years experience in Risk Management across multiple industries including Food/Bev, Supplements, Manufacturing, and IT Consulting.
Danielle earned her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry from the University of California San Diego and her master’s degree in Food Science/Food Chemistry from the University of California Davis.
Danielle lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and bulldog. She frequently travels to her home state of California, where she visits the beach and gives guest lectures at local colleges and universities.
Danielle earned her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry from the University of California San Diego and her master’s degree in Food Science/Food Chemistry from the University of California Davis.
Danielle lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and bulldog. She frequently travels to her home state of California, where she visits the beach and gives guest lectures at local colleges and universities.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 13, 2020
Reading about caffeine as a November reading challenge. My take on this book is:
What it is: a biochemical-based guide on the effects of caffeine and other energy-drink substances on the body, and tips to use it safely.
What it is not: This is not a two-sided debate on whether or not to use caffeine, as much as the book tries present itself at times as unbiased. It is definitely a persuasive style of writing, and reads at times like someone who has been assigned the "pro" side of a debate. I did do some googling on the author and although I couldn't find evidence to this fact, she does at times sound like a shill to to the energy drink industry. Perhaps she's truly not in anyone's pocket and just has a genuine interest - in which case, more power to her! This is the anti-Marina Kushner author, with the bonus that this author actually seems to know her science and does a great job of teaching it. I actually would enjoy reading more of her allusions and metaphors for biochemistry concepts.
This book would be good for anyone who is choosing to include caffeine in their diet. Another upside, the audible actor was enthusiastic and made good use of audio effects.
What it is: a biochemical-based guide on the effects of caffeine and other energy-drink substances on the body, and tips to use it safely.
What it is not: This is not a two-sided debate on whether or not to use caffeine, as much as the book tries present itself at times as unbiased. It is definitely a persuasive style of writing, and reads at times like someone who has been assigned the "pro" side of a debate. I did do some googling on the author and although I couldn't find evidence to this fact, she does at times sound like a shill to to the energy drink industry. Perhaps she's truly not in anyone's pocket and just has a genuine interest - in which case, more power to her! This is the anti-Marina Kushner author, with the bonus that this author actually seems to know her science and does a great job of teaching it. I actually would enjoy reading more of her allusions and metaphors for biochemistry concepts.
This book would be good for anyone who is choosing to include caffeine in their diet. Another upside, the audible actor was enthusiastic and made good use of audio effects.
October 15, 2025
3.75/5
March 2, 2014
Disclaimer: I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. The book itself has an extensive disclaimer that it is not a substitute for consultation with a licensed healthcare professional.
Like many people, I have sampled energy drinks from time to time, and heard scary things about their possible health effects. This book by a food biochemist and dietitian seeks to inform the reader about these liquids. It’s explained that “energy drinks” includes both beverages and supplements, which are similar in nature, but regulated differently. (For example, ginko biloba is not allowed as a beverage ingredient, but is allowed in supplements.)
After a brief history of energy drinks, starting with Thailand’s Krathing Daeng, the ancestor of Red Bull, the book has a section on the safety of these liquids. It mentions Adverse Event Reports (do not mix energy drinks and alcohol, it’s a killer), biological sensitivity and consumption practices.
This is followed by a section on how energy drinks do (and don’t) work. This includes bits on how your individual circumstances may change the effectiveness.
The largest section goes into detail on each major active ingredient; what it does, where else you can get it, and what happens if you get too little or too much. This runs the gamut from caffeine through vitamin B12 to Yerba Mate. Some ingredients have not been proven to do anything other than sound cool, others can be dangerous if you get too much.
There are appendixes on: ways to wake up without caffeine, the stages of fatigue and which type of products work best at each level (note: this book does not endorse any specific brand of energy drink), how the FDA handles Adverse Event Reports, the American Beverage Association’s code for responsible labeling and marketing practices, and definitions of some terms. There’s also a list of references in the back for more research.
This book is aimed at the layperson, with simple metaphors and relatively plain vocabulary. With the help of your healthcare provider, you can use this book to see if an energy drink will be safe and effective for your particular situation. I’d recommend this book to users of energy drinks, and students majoring in dietetics or food biochemistry. It’s clearly written and has many interesting facts.
Like many people, I have sampled energy drinks from time to time, and heard scary things about their possible health effects. This book by a food biochemist and dietitian seeks to inform the reader about these liquids. It’s explained that “energy drinks” includes both beverages and supplements, which are similar in nature, but regulated differently. (For example, ginko biloba is not allowed as a beverage ingredient, but is allowed in supplements.)
After a brief history of energy drinks, starting with Thailand’s Krathing Daeng, the ancestor of Red Bull, the book has a section on the safety of these liquids. It mentions Adverse Event Reports (do not mix energy drinks and alcohol, it’s a killer), biological sensitivity and consumption practices.
This is followed by a section on how energy drinks do (and don’t) work. This includes bits on how your individual circumstances may change the effectiveness.
The largest section goes into detail on each major active ingredient; what it does, where else you can get it, and what happens if you get too little or too much. This runs the gamut from caffeine through vitamin B12 to Yerba Mate. Some ingredients have not been proven to do anything other than sound cool, others can be dangerous if you get too much.
There are appendixes on: ways to wake up without caffeine, the stages of fatigue and which type of products work best at each level (note: this book does not endorse any specific brand of energy drink), how the FDA handles Adverse Event Reports, the American Beverage Association’s code for responsible labeling and marketing practices, and definitions of some terms. There’s also a list of references in the back for more research.
This book is aimed at the layperson, with simple metaphors and relatively plain vocabulary. With the help of your healthcare provider, you can use this book to see if an energy drink will be safe and effective for your particular situation. I’d recommend this book to users of energy drinks, and students majoring in dietetics or food biochemistry. It’s clearly written and has many interesting facts.
January 24, 2014
Caffeine for me is a necessary evil - it seems to help with migraines (to an extent) and now that I have a baby I need it to function lol. Too much of it however makes me pretty jittery, so I did some research about all of this and came upon this book. What I really appreciated about Are You a Monster or a Rock Star was that complicated scientific concepts were explained and presented in a manner that was not only easy to comprehend, but also conversational with a dash of "nerdy" humor. I enjoyed the tone of the book and liked the fact that the author dispels the notion that energy drinks are inherently evil - it's all in how we consume them and she urges consumers to educate themselves by reading the labels to understand what's going into their systems. Quick read, very informative, and a nice, easy to understand writing style.
January 26, 2014
I don’t generally drink too many energy drinks, but as someone who is both interested in food science and is always trying to squeeze those extra hours of alertness into my day, I gave this title a read. It offered some fresh viewpoints that I hadn’t previously considered and the author does a fine job of presenting an unbiased story. Good stuff!
July 28, 2025
I'm a gorilla mind.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews