Rwanda: Energy Drinks - the Good, Bad and Ugly

John Mgirane works long hours. During the day, he works as customer care at a telecommunications company, and, at night, he helps out at his mother's supermarket in Kimironko. The supermarket runs until midnight. It wears him out and to get that extra burst of energy, he relies on energy boosters, commonly known as energy drinks. He takes at least one each day and on bad days, two.

An energy drink is a type of beverage containing stimulant drugs, chiefly caffeine, which is marketed as providing mental or physical stimulation. The boosters are preferred by people seeking extra energy kick or endurance. Although ingredients may differ from brand to brand, the most common are caffeine, sugar (artificial sweeteners) and herbal extracts such as guarana.

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