Rationale:

The topic that I chose for my written task is dietary supplements and how they have not
been regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I chose this topic because as a
consumer of dietary supplements, I found it shocking that the supplements that we put into our
bodies have not been approved and can produce biological health risks. I intended for the tone
to be derisive and disapproving because I am speaking from someone who has been negatively
affected by dietary supplements and does not want the same adverse effects for other
consumers. The language was precise and detailed to mimic the role of an upset, cheated
consumer. I choose the text type of a customer review in a negative connotation. The
perspective is written from a college student, who is a Monster energy drink consumer because
Monster is a popular beverage that is not FDA approved and has resulted in adverse reactions
and deaths. I also wanted to target a product frequently used by young adults in our society to
expose the false advertising elements manufacturers use to target vulnerable consumers. I
included a number of fallacies ranging from hasty generalization to begging the claim to
challenge my argument and create controversy in which I indepthly counter argue and solve.
The purpose was to explain the harmful effects in the non-regulation of dietary supplements and
how it takes a toll on society’s wellbeing. The audience regarded all consumers and more
specifically those who ingest dietary supplements frequently. The part of the course we are
studying is language and mass communication, and the element I focused on was persuasion
and rhetoric because I included aspects of ethos, pathos, and logos to support my argument
against unregulated dietary supplements.
 I am flabbergasted to know an energy drink almost cost me my life. I will NEVER drink Monster or any
energy drink EVER again...I feel cheated, and I want you all to take heed. The next time you reach to grab an energy
drink... DON’T. It’s not going to boost your energy level. I developed adverse reactions from Monster that took me
straight to the ER. It all began when I was staying up late to study for college. My energy during the day seemed to
plummet after breakfast, so I decided to try a good ol’ Monster energy drink, hoping it would replenish my lost
energy. How naive I was to think that an unregulated product, such as Monster could be of any benefit to my health.
I chugged a can of Monster every night for 2 consecutive weeks; I remember feeling side effects of increased
anxiety and dizziness after 1 week and was unfazed by what was causing them. By the end of the second week,
things went seriously wrong. I experienced severe adverse reactions, such as tremors, agitation, and intense
increases in my heart rate that sent me to the ER. I was hospitalized for 1 week from an overdose of caffeine. This
drink is not what it seems: a powerful energy booster that “unleashes the beast.” It’s a lie and a dangerous, toxic rush
causing heart palpitations. This product should be removed from ALL supermarket shelves ASAP because it is a
public health threat to vulnerable consumers, wanting a nutritional boost of energy. I am writing this review because
I want my outrage to be publicized so I can save lives and alert all consumers of misleading dietary supplements
similar to Monster that are trapping consumers. Sorry Monster...the hard truth hurts and now its out.
In order for us consumers to feel secure about what we ingest into our bodies, the FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) regulates and labels different ranges of products. However, the ingredients for any product not
safeguarded by the FDA is a potential health risk. Thus being said, dietary supplements have not been approved by
the FDA because they have not been put through any testing to mark them as safe products. An energy drink is a
type of dietary supplement, which according to the FDA, contains specific ingredients used to enhance the body
with no proof of benefiting your health. As a consumer, it's your job to investigate the ingredients in the products
that you buy and ingest in large quantities. The FDA urges consumers to consult a health professional before using
ANY dietary supplement because it may end up having strong and harmful biological effects. The FDA holds the
manufacturers and distributors responsible for ensuring their products are not hazardous when they reach the market.
This leads to the main problem: a manufacturers “free pass” to lie. I believe manufacturers of dietary supplements
use false advertising to promote their product and mislabel them to make huge profits at the cost of our good health.
The American Council on Science and Health states that some nutrients in supplements are toxic if taken in higher
dosages. This problem is evident in energy drink supplements because in most cases, they do not clearly specify the
complete ingredients and their concentrations, such as guarana, taurine, and ginseng. After my traumatizing
experience, my lab results from the hospital showed unusually high concentrations of guarana that lead to my
dangerous increase in heart rate and could have cost me my life. The danger of combining ingredients, such as
guarana with sugar will lead to high blood pressure, heart palpitations, and insomnia. The most damaging ingredient
from this short list is guarana, which increases the concentration of caffeine beyond a safe consumption level,
causing an overdose similar to what I experienced. The actual amount of caffeine in the Monster drink information
with added guarana is truly 160 mg per serving instead of 80 in which they falsely advertise.
Consumers, BEWARE!! If you continue to buy this toxic energy drink hoping it will fulfill your wishes,
you are being duped into thinking that. The fact of the matter is that dietary supplements such as Monster are not
“all natural,” even though they may want you to believe it. Do not believe a manufacturer just because they claim
they have a “top” selling brand. A false “promise” to better health is a costly price you may have to pay at the end.
Unfortunately, this type of marketing is the number one trap consumers fall for because they are vulnerable and
desperate in trying easy and accessible remedies to health problems, such as low energy levels. It is possible that you
may be a regular Monster drinker and have not yet experienced any of the adverse reactions that I unfortunately
have. In my opinion, you have been lucky thus far, and the adverse reactions could come at a later time once your
body has reached a saturation level. Regular Monster drinkers doubting the safety of their health should also I urge
consult their health professional and complete a blood test in order to determine abnormal levels of caffeine in your
system.
The truth in the matter is regulations must be enforced in order to ensure safe consumption by consumers
because dietary supplements, such as Monster are not promising for our wellbeing. We consumers should not feel
safe and confident in ingesting an unapproved product; instead refuse to give these manufacturing companies the
power to shape your health. Save yourself from the effects of the Monster and don’t “unleash the beast.”
Sahiba Ahmed
IB HL English
Huryn
October 22, 2018
Annotated Bibliography

https://www.fda.gov/food/dietarysupplements/usingdietarysupplements/ucm109760.htm
The Food and Drug Administration’s informative article Dietary Supplements: What You
Need to Know in depthly describes factual information about dietary supplements and what they
are, types of supplements used daily by consumers, the “beneficiary claims” made by the
manufacturers of the supplements, and the risks in taking them. The article also describes the
FDA’s take on dietary supplements and how they have not been regulated because the FDA is
not permitted to review the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are
marketed. I used this source in my written task because the FDA is a credible website dedicated
to the wellbeing of the public and informs them on what foods they approve or how some foods
are hazardous to our health.

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20080924/energy-drinks-hazardous-to-your-
health#1
The WedMd’s informative article Energy Drinks: Hazardous to Your Health
investigates the reliability of all energy drinks by exposing false advertisements energy drink
manufacturers use in order to make increased profits and deceive consumers into buying more.
The article also talks about the type of false advertising energy drinks use, which is providing a
false number of their caffeine content on their labels since they do not require a limit to their
caffeine. WebMD explains the specific types of energy drinks that market their products with
false caffeine contents to vulnerable populations. The article also compares the excessive
caffeine content in energy drinks to the regular caffeine content in regular caffeinated drinks and
reveals the drastic difference. I used the evidence from this source in my written task because I
specifically focused on exposing the false advertisement of the Monster energy drink in order to
support my claim against dietary supplements that are not regulated by the FDA.

https://www.energydrinkslawsuit.com/5-most-potentially-harmful-ingredients-energy-drinks/
The educative article, The 5 Most Potentially Harmful Ingredients in Energy Drinks
created by Energy Drinks Lawsuit, explained the hazardous aspects of energy drinks and the
adverse effects of their ingredients. The article talked about the flaws regarding the makeup of
energy drinks and that when these strong ingredients are mixed, they increase the severity of
side effects and are detrimental to health. I used this source in my written task by supporting my
claim against dietary supplements, specifically energy drinks and how they are not regulated by
the FDA. This information regarding the excess concentrations of harmful ingredients reveals
the toxicity and damage they truly cause to consumers without them knowing since these
ingredients are not mentioned on labels.