"Live like a movie star, party like a rock star." Everyone has heard this some time or another, and a lot of people think of the energy drink — Rockstar. Of course, you hear the word "party" you think of booze and drugs, but those aren't the only addictive thing out there. That's right, energy drinks have that tendency as well.

If you had to choose, what would it be: alcohol or an energy drink?

"I would definitely pick energy drinks," said Capital High School sophomore Alma Martinez. "I could never drink alcohol — it makes you smell bad, act stupid, and even, in some cases, makes you abusive, and don't forget the hangover. Energy drinks aren't healthy for you, but they don't kill your brain cells. They're energy in a can! You won't get sick if you do something active to release your energy, even if you drink a lot of them."

An article on energy drinks published earlier this year in The Boston Globe states there are plenty of side effects associated with consumption of energy drinks, such as a jittery state or insomnia. It's also bad for teenagers who are struggling with weight. Too many energy drinks can cause caffeine addiction, which can then lead to anxiety, panic, stomach and even cardiac problems, such as heart attacks.

There are many reasons why teenagers choose to drink energy drinks. Some drink them for the extra pick-me-up, some drink them so they can stay up late and study or talk on the phone or just to play video games. There also are people who drink them because they like the taste or the buzz it gives.

Companies and parents are starting to realize how addictive energy drinks can be. Emergency-room physicians and toxicologists around the country are now noticing an increase to caffeine related symptoms such as dehydration, rapid heart rate or heart attacks, according to an article by Katharine Mieszkowski from Salon.com.

"What I'm mostly worried about is how much caffeine is in the energy drinks, because they can cause a dangerous heart rate," said Aimee Arelanes, a concerned parent of Capital High sophomore Sophia Arelanes, who claims to be semi-addicted energy drinker.

"I think they should put the amount of caffeine on the labels," Aimee Arelanes added.

Companies are starting to come out with more alternative energy supplements. Jones Sodas will soon sell energy pills, similar to Vivarin or NoDoz. But these pills can be as dangerous as an energy drink. A recent survey by researchers at Northwestern University found that an overdose of caffeine supplements triggered more than 250 reports to the Illinois Poison Control Center over a three-year period. The average age of those affected was 21.

There also is a new add-in product called Power Edge which is an energy mix you pour into water. The ingredients written on these packets show to have half the amount of caffeine and other ingredients as a 16-ounce energy drink has.

So, the next time you feel like you need an energy boost, remember what type of effects it could have on you. It is said in the book Nutrition for Dummies that if you are drinking two or three cans a day for a period of weeks or months it might trigger a caffeine addiction. Do you want to spend that much on a caffeine addiction?

Amanda Martinez is a sophomore at Capital High School. You can reach her at freak_spiders_awareness@yahoo.com.