‘You take a sip and you’re buzzing’: Students fawn over Celsius even after lawsuit
Celsius is a popular energy drink among college students — advertised to include health benefits like increased metabolism.
April 19, 2023
Many students start their mornings with a cup of coffee. But Weinberg junior Shawn Liang gulps down a can of Celsius, a popular energy drink.
“I’ve developed a routine where I wake up and I keep a can on my bedside,” Liang said. “I grasp for it in the morning. It’s usually the first thing that gets me going.”
Celsius has grown in popularity since its founding in 2004. It’s now the third-largest energy drink company in the U.S. For some Northwestern students, like Liang, it’s their source of caffeine.
According to a lawsuit filed last November, Celsius mislabeled its product as containing “no preservatives,” even though it contains citric acid. As part of the settlement, customers could receive up to $250 if their submitted claims are approved.
Medill junior Claire Foltz said she didn’t end up submitting a claim, though she has bought about five cases. As a “loyal customer,” Foltz said she supports the company.
“Since then, I’ve had more Celsius,” Foltz said. “It feels kind of fake to partake in the settlement.”
After a friend’s recommendation, Foltz started drinking Celsius during Fall Quarter because she got “busier and sleepier.” Coffee just wasn’t cutting it for her anymore, she said.
Foltz said she needed something “stronger and quicker,” which she said Celsius provides. Once Foltz takes a sip, she said she feels “immediate relief.”
“There’s really nothing quite like it,” Foltz said. “You take a sip and you’re buzzing. Your heart starts racing.”
Energy drinks usually taste awful to Liang, but Celsius’ taste impressed him. The first time Liang tried Celsius, he didn’t realize it contained caffeine, he said. Liang thought it was “zero-calorie juice.”
Liang said Celsius’ marketing emphasizes health benefits that appeal to wellness-oriented customers. On the front of the can, Celsius advertises the product accelerates metabolism, burns body fat and provides “essential energy.”
Feinberg Prof. Marilyn Cornelis said these claims are likely based on the effects of caffeine — meaning consumers could receive the same benefits from a cup of coffee.
“They might sell it as something very novel, but the research just shows that it’s really just the caffeine,” Cornelis said.
Though both coffee and Celsius contain caffeine, Cornelis also noted there are chemical differences.
Coffee is derived from a plant, so it contains thousands of compounds, which have yet to be fully researched, Cornelis said. On the other hand, she said Celsius isn’t a natural product, since it has an ingredient list.
Liang said he prefers Celsius over coffee, because Celsius is always “ready to go.” It’s cold and delicious, he added.
“Coffee is tough to drink,” Liang said. “You’ve got to put a lot of stuff in it and prepare it. There’s a lot of different roasts.”
Cornelis said Celsius targets a younger demographic by adding sweetness. These drinks taste “yummy,” she said, whereas coffee is bitter.
While each serving/can of Celsius contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, coffee contains about 95 milligrams per cup. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cites 400 milligrams of caffeine per day — about four to five cups of coffee — as the safe maximum level of consumption for adults.
But Cornelis said bodies respond to caffeine differently due to genetics. If people metabolize caffeine quickly, they’re naturally going to consume more caffeine, because its stimulant effects lessen, she said.
“Some people consume a lot of caffeine, and they’re fine. Others are very content with just one serving,” Cornelis said. “That just speaks to the between-person variation.”
Heavy caffeine users may experience withdrawal symptoms, like headaches, if they immediately abstain from caffeine, Cornelis said. To avoid these symptoms, she recommended gradually reducing caffeine consumption each day.
Cornelis said students should be attune to their body’s response to caffeine intake, whether it be in the form of Celsius or coffee. In her genetic studies, Cornelis found people naturally modify their consumption behaviors in response to caffeine.
“I’m a huge body listener,” Foltz said. “If I’m tired, I’ll drink caffeine. I don’t fight very hard with my body.”
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Twitter: @JessicaMa2025
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