Jalen Carpenter, a junior post player for the Bremerton High School girls basketball team, was looking for a jolt of energy.

Carpenter knocked back a full can of Monster energy drink five minutes before a club basketball game in Seattle summer before last. She felt the effects within minutes, and it wreaked havoc.

“I was so jittery, messing up, committing turnovers as I was shaking,” she said. “The drink kicked in during the first quarter, and I wasn’t ready for it.”

The game was attended by college coaches and scouts, making it an important showing for her.

“We won, but I didn’t feel like a winner,” she said.

Energy drinks have emerged as a trend for young adults who thrive off the buzz provided by the sugary punch. Energy drink manufacturers have strong presence with advertisements at fairs, sporting events and concerts, typical hot spots for young adults.

Energy drinks have become a staple in popular culture in the past decade, particularly with young adults who rely on the highly-caffeinated beverages for an instant burst. Now energy drinks have established themselves at high school sporting events, where student-athletes are consuming the sugary brews in preparation for the big game.

But the pregame regimen doesn’t settle well with everyone as the dangers of energy drinks start to unravel. Health experts and some coaches say the liquid fuel has potentially serious consequences.

Olympic High School sports medicine instructor and head athletic trainer Scott Peck said he believes athletes should rely on water, and sometimes Gatorade, as primary sources for energy. He’s witnessed student-athletes in all sports consuming energy drinks, and thinks it’s a poor decision.

Peck, who has taught sports medicine at the school for 19 years, said that some athletes have serious misconceptions about energy drinks, such as Monster, Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy.

“The concept is that kids think the energy from the drinks will give them energy during the game, but it’s so quick in such a short burst that they burn it up really fast, so it’s not really enhancing their performance like they think it is,” he said.

An energy drink can act like a diuretic, Peck said, forcing athletes to drain their systems and make frequent restroom visits.

“The drinks provide a quick burst and then you’re down,” he added.

Ken Ahlstrom, Central Kitsap High School sports medicine instructor and head athletic trainer, echoed Peck’s statements about the looming dangers of energy drinks in youth sports. Ahlstrom said he waters down the Gatorade for Central Kitsap’s athletic teams to offset the levels of sugar while sustaining some taste for the players. He advises against energy drinks for all athletes at Central Kitsap.

“Energy drinks provide too much sugar and that’s going to hinder an athlete’s performance,” he said. “When they drink them, their bodies are too busy digesting sugar that they’re not able to focus on exercising properly.”

Beyond the sugar is the caffeine, a powerful stimulant for young people unaccustomed to its effects.

For the most part, Carpenter was stunned during her experiment with Monster — one of the more popular brands with young people — and a little scared, by the sudden effects.

“I freaked out a lot, and it was kind of scary,” she added. “I didn’t think it would happen like that. I had consumed energy drinks before, but not for sports. My coach asked me what was wrong with me. It just came so fast.”

Olympic High School Athletic Director and head baseball coach Nate Andrews said high school students consider energy drinks as something cool or hip. Andrews also said his varsity baseball team knows not to drink energy drinks when he’s around.

“I think a lot of times the kids aren’t going to walk by without stopping and trying it,” he added. “It does give you that burst, but they need to look at what it really does to you. Kids just don’t know how to say ‘no’ a lot of times, so we have to do our best to educate.”

Olympic junior boys basketball player Trey Fullilove said he avoids energy drinks and sticks to milk, water and the occasional Gatorade for a boost. The team’s head coach, Devin Huff, said he has no policy on energy drinks and allows his players to take 5-Hour Energy because it provides a natural boost.

Klahowya Secondary School senior wrestler Kevin Schiffman said he avoids energy drinks because they make him tired. Schiffman also said head coach Jim Zimny advises his athletes to stay away from energy drinks.

Not all athletes are on board with abandoning energy drinks before games. Bremerton senior girls basketball and fastpitch player Samantha Villalobos said she occasionally drinks a Full Throttle or Monster energy drink an hour or two before a game. Villalobos said she drinks about 10 energy drinks for sports per academic year.

“I’ve never felt the negative sides of energy drinks,” she said. “I don’t really feel fatigued when I drink them, and either way, you’re going to get tired playing a basketball game anyway.”