Powerade dumps flame retardant-associated chemical

Matthew Lewis / Getty Images

Powerade dumps flame retardant-associated chemical
(Image credit: Matthew Lewis / Getty Images)

Powerade will soon be less bro-y. No, it's not that the energy drink is spurning its sporty image, but rather that it is getting rid of brominated vegetable oil.

So what's wrong with a little brominated veggie oil in your post-workout beverage? BVO contains bromine — the element used in some flame retardants — and when ingested in high doses it's been linked to memory issues and skin and nerve problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. Though BVO has been banned as a food additive in Europe and Japan, it's often used in the U.S. to help stabilize citrus flavors in sugary drinks.

Coco-Cola, which owns Powerade, announced the decision after a Mississippi teenager petitioned the company to dump BVO. Pepsi, which owns Gatorade, took the same measure last year.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.