The MLB world is no stranger to bizarre storylines, but this one might take the (protein) cake: Celsius Energy Drink allegedly triggering a positive drug test for cocaine?
That’s the claim that made the rounds on social media this week, thanks to a since-deleted post by Detroit Tigers beat writer Emily Waldon. She reported that players from Detroit’s High-A affiliate, the West Michigan Whitecaps, were discussing MLB-approved energy drinks in the dugout. Waldon claimed Celsius was “strongly discouraged” because it contained “an ingredient known to test positive for cocaine in MLB drug testing.” You read that right.
The internet, of course, did its thing. The rumor went viral fast—fast enough that MLB and the MLBPA felt the need to put out a statement clarifying: Celsius isn’t banned, there’s no known ingredient that mimics cocaine, and no one’s failing tests over a can of Peach Mango Green Tea.
MLB’s Clarification: “We Didn’t Say That”
Front Office Sports followed up on Waldon’s tweet and confirmed that both the league and the union had not communicated anything to clubs or players warning about Celsius. What they have said—and continue to urge—is that players should stick to energy drinks certified by NSF for Sport, which test for banned substances and are deemed safe.
Celsius isn’t on that list. But not being certified isn’t the same as being flagged.
“There is no specific ingredient in Celsius that would cause a positive test,” both MLB and MLBPA confirmed.
Even Harvard toxicology expert Dr. Peter Chai weighed in, calling the idea laughable: “Celsius itself, as far as I know from looking at the ingredient list, does not have a component that would trigger a urine drug screen.” He joked that unless you were “also drinking cocaine,” this wasn’t an issue.
No Failed Tests, No Proof, And No Problem
Let’s be clear—there hasn’t been a single public instance of a player testing positive for cocaine or any “false positive” related to Celsius.
A spokesperson for Celsius called the claims “spurious second-hand” nonsense and reiterated that the drink is completely safe. Elite athletes, including Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles and MLB superstar Juan Soto, who recently signed on as a brand ambassador, actively consume Celsius. They are not exactly fringe figures.
Juan Soto himself said the drink aligns with his “values” and praised the brand for supporting “personal performance and wellness.” The 25-year-old Mets’ slugger even said he hopes Celsius can “motivate and inspire individuals to push their limits.”
If the drink was triggering cocaine positives, that’s probably not how the partnership pitch would’ve gone.
Where the Confusion Started
Waldon posted a link to MLB’s list of NSF-certified drinks, which includes Red Bull and C4 but not Celsius. And that’s fair—MLB does prefer players stick with vetted drinks. But someone, somewhere, likely conflated “not recommended” with “banned” and started the game of telephone that ended with players wondering if a can of Celsius could end their careers.
No one is quite sure who started that particular rumor in the West Michigan dugout. However, the Whitecaps organization made it clear that there is “no involvement in player nutrition.“
MLB’s Real Drug Concerns Still Exist
Major League Baseball runs more than 11,000 drug tests annually. The program expanded after the 2019 death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who overdosed on fentanyl. These days, players are randomly tested for a wide range of substances, including cocaine, LSD, opiates, bath salts, and synthetic THC. Testing positive doesn’t mean instant suspension; instead, they refer players to a treatment board and a rehabilitation program.
But that’s for actual drugs. Not Celsius. And not because someone was crushing a can of Orange Pomegranate before batting practice.
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