[dennis71]

Can a Monster energy drink make you fail a drug test? My cousin got a random swab drug test at work the other day directly after consuming lunch and having a Monster energy drink. Supposedly his drug test came back positive for cocaine. How did this happen when he does not do drugs?

[JudyKayTee]

If he DOESN'T use cocaine, it's a false positive. He should ask to be retested.

[DrBill100]

I was just reviewing this drink for causing a false positive on an EtG test. Ingredients, are as follows:

Carbonated water, sucrose, glucose, taurine, sodium citrate, color added, panax ginseng root extract, L-carnitine, caffeine, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, niacinamide, sodium chloride, glucuronolactone, inositol, guarana seed, pyridoxine hydrochloride, sucralose, riboflavin, maltodextrin, cyanocobalamin.

Your friend has two concerns. First, as Judy noted this may be a false positive. Very common on swab type tests, and particularly those administered on site. Second, is that this is an unrecognized cross-reaction peculiar to the specific test device. False positive is by far the most likely. Can run as high as 40%.

Further testing using a more precise method should clear up the problem. As I'm currently working on this substance I will post any further findings.

[dennis71]

Well, as it turns out, he was fired yesterday without being given a second drug test because the company practices a zero tolerance policy. So he has brought up this sitution to the union president who is trying to get my cousin's job back. If these energy drinks are causing this problem, shouldn't the company stop selling this in their vending machines?

[DrBill100]

Well, as it turns out, he was fired yesterday without being given a second drug test because the company practices a zero tolerance policy. So he has brought up this sitution to the union president who is trying to get my cousin's job back. If these energy drinks are causing this problem, shouldnt the company stop selling this in their vending machines?

If the individual is a union member the drug tests are usually covered under a collective bargaining agreement and usually comply with SAMHSA standards. If the events transpired as you set forth, reliance should never be placed on an-onsite drug test without confirmation.

If an energy drink can trigger a false positive on a drug test it isn't the drink but the validity of the test that is suspect. Once again, on-site test kits are notoriously inaccurate. I'm surprised that this type of test is even allowed under the union contract.

[JudyKayTee]

Your cousin should retain an Attorney and get his job back. It will require additional testing as quickly as possible so he should retain someone NOW.

[dennis71]

Hmmm. Well we were just doing some research and it seems that if you have liver disease or kidney disease, you can test positive for cocaine. My cousin actually has Crohn's disease. Would that be even the small bit possible that the disease could make him test positive for cocaine?

[DrBill100]

Hmmm. Well we were just doing some research and it seems that if you have liver disease or kidney disease, you can test positive for cocaine. My cousin actually has Crohn's disease. Would that be even the small bit possible that the disease could make him test positive for cocaine?

You are looking for reasons to legitimize the test results. Any and all on-site initial screens are per se invalid until confirmed by more precise lab measures .

Nonetheless, there are thousands of reasons that he may have failed the screen. Liver or kidney disease invalidates most tests. It is also the responsibility of the testing agency to advise to that effect and question in the cause of a presumptive positive. In relation to Crohn's, are there medications involved?

If you can provide me with the brand name of test kit that was used then there is a starting point. First all such tests must be cleared by the FDA. That is where we start. Also, please confirm that this was an on-site result and not sent to a laboratory. That changes the process if it was packaged and sent off to the lab for analysis.

Intestinal disorder would be high on the list if this were a urinalysis. Less so for oral swab.

[CounselorIII]

It appears the companies that profit off these drinks are not telling us the truth. Myself and some other in the field of counseling and therapy said they too have had cleints that they know did not use cocaine, but tested positive after drinking energy drinks. My client drank 5 hour energy drink and tested positive with a urinalysis screen.

[DrBill100]

It appears the companies that profit off these drinks are not telling us the truth. Myself and some other in the field of counseling and therapy said they too have had cleints that they know did not use cocaine, but tested positive after drinking energy drinks. My client drank 5 hour energy drink and tested positive with a urinalysis screen.

Contrariwise, I would assert that if a laboratory test cannot distinguish between an energy drink and a classed narcotic then the test is flawed. Not the companies that manufacture the drink.

As your testimony indicates this is not a singular problem. I can assure you that it certainly is not isolated to cocaine and energy drinks. Misidentification is pervasive.

I respecfiully suggest that you re-direct your gaze to those performing these tests as well as the reliability index of the specific test performed.

Please don't view my critique as a personal criticism. You, as a counselor, are dependent on the opinions of biologic investigators. But we err. Nowhere is that more apparent, nor distorted, than the field of commercialized drug testing.

Please, please, please... come back as it gives us (and me paraticularly) a contrasting viewpoint that may assist so many others.

Thank you for your valuable response

[bjones60]

My nephew recently went to an interview, took a drug test and tested positive for ectasy. He said that he has done no drugs and blamed the results on "monster" energy drinks. Can this test positive for ex? I think I know the answer. Thank you.

[bjones60]

My nephew recently went to an interview, took a drug test and tested positive for ectasy. He said that he has done no drugs and blamed the results on "monster" energy drinks. Can this test positive for ex? I think I know the answer. Thank you.

[JudyKayTee]

DrBill is the expert - re-read what he has posted. Did your nephew insist on being re-tested?