Celsius breaks silence over link between its drinks and cocaine

Daily Mail​

16-06-2025

Celsius has finally addressed claims that its popular energy drinks can cause false positives for cocaine in drug tests.
The controversy began on June 8 when a Detroit Tigers sports reporter tweeted that Major League Baseball (MLB) teams were advising players to avoid the drink.
'Celsius has an ingredient known to flag as cocaine in MLB drug testing, and although it's not officially banned, it's strongly discouraged,' the reporter wrote in a now-deleted X post.
The drink maker has dismissed these comments, stating: 'Claims that Celsius could cause someone to fail a drug test have been proven false, and there is no merit to these claims.'
The claims went viral online, prompting a response from the MLB drug watchdog, which also said the claims were untrue.
However, it comes at a time when Americans are increasingly concerned about ingredients in their food and drinks.
Celsius beverages contain about 1,810 milligrams of taurine, far exceeding the typical daily intake of 40 to 400 milligrams.
Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that may promote the growth of bacteria associated with colorectal cancer, which are often more abundant in affected individuals' guts.
While there was no scientific evidence to support the notion that Celsius ingredients could be read as cocaine in a drug test, the post quickly spread across social media, likely due to how popular Celsius has become in the US.
Celsius is the third-largest energy drink company in the nation, following Monster and Red Bull.
But the MLB's product certifier was quick to deem the claims false.
'We are not aware of any specific ingredient in Celsius that would cause a positive drug test result, nor have we communicated such concerns to any MLB club or player,' the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) said last week.
Celsius contains common energy drink ingredients like caffeine, green tea extract and guarana seed extract, as well as artificial sweeteners.
These are not classified as banned substances, and there is no scientific evidence that they can trigger a false positive for the narcotic.
However, Celsius is not on the list of certified energy drinks for professional athletes.
Beverages including C4 and Red Bull do carry the NSF certification and are commonly recommended to athletes.
Obtaining NSF Certified for Sport status involves rigorous testing, including lot-by-lot analysis for banned substances, label accuracy and manufacturing audits.
Celsius may not have pursued this certification due to the significant cost, time and effort required, especially if their target market includes non-athlete consumers who do not prioritize NSF certification.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has not banned Celsius, though it does enforce strict limits on caffeine intake for student athletes.
'Some collegiate athletes may have questions about whether one ingredient in CELSIUS products, caffeine derived from guarana extract, raises any issues under NCAA rules,' Celsius stated on its website.
NCAA states that a urine caffeine concentration above 15 micrograms per milliliter will trigger a positive result, typically the equivalent of consuming 500 milligrams of caffeine within a few hours of competition.
A single can of Celsius contains 200 to 270 milligrams of caffeine, meaning two cans consumed in a short time frame could easily exceed the NCAA threshold.
These limits are in place to reduce health risks from excessive stimulant use, including jitteriness, rapid heart rate and dehydration.
Celsius energy drinks contain guarana (a concentrated source of caffeine), taurine and L-carnitine, none of which are banned by the NCAA or US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
A 12-ounce can of Celsius typically contains about two eight-ounce cups of coffee.
The FDA recommends healthy adults limit caffeine to 400 milligrams daily (roughly two cans of Celsius), but individual sensitivity varies.
For some, even one can may cause jitters or other effects. Caffeine's half-life of three to five hours means repeated consumption can lead to accumulation.
Celsius has faced a class-action lawsuit over alleged misbranding, such as misleading claims about preservatives.