The purpose of this study was to investigate the intake status of energy drinks, knowledge of caffeine and the perception on intake of energy drinks by university students. We surveyed 351 university students from October 25, 2017 to January 25, 2018. The subjects (70.9%) consumed energy drinks more than once. Male students consumed energy drinks more frequently than the female ones. A huge portion (68.3%) of the subjects consumed energy drinks to recover from fatigue and reduce sleepiness. Moreover, they consumed most of the energy drinks at home and the university library. The main anticipated efficacy of energy drinks was the relieving drowsiness. Respondents (86.3%) perceived that energy drinks could be hazardous to the health of human beings. The main risks of consuming energy drinks were sleep disorders, addiction problems and heart beating. The main recognized effects of energy drinks were relieved drowsiness and decreased fatigue. The major side effects were heart beating, nausea, vomiting, heartburn and sleeping disorders. This study suggests that nutritional education is needed to confirm the recommendation of daily intake for caffeine and to raise awareness about the side effects of energy drinks.