ENERGY DRINKS
and energy
shots make up the fastest-growing
segment of the beverage industry,
thanks largely to teens and young
adults.
But these drinks are raising red ags
in the medical community. Here’s
what you need to know before you—
or your kids—reach for one.
What’s in them?
Energy drinks (and energy shots) are
nonalcoholic beverages that contain
stimulants, most notably caffeine.
Other ingredients that often make
the list: vitamins, herbal supple-
ments and sweeteners. When cocoa,
guarana, kola nut and yerba mate
are added, they contribute some-
thing manufacturers don’t have to
list: more caffeine. This means there
might be more caffeine in the drinks
or shots than the label states.
According to the American
Academy of Pediatrics, the stimulants
in energy drinks don’t belong in the
diets of children and adolescents.
Speci c health concerns for both kids
and adults include:
1.
Consuming too much caffeine has
been linked to serious health conse-
quences, including stroke and sudden
death. It’s also associated with these
adverse effects:
•
In kids—potential harm to growing
hearts and brains.
•
In adolescents—raised blood pres-
sure and problems sleeping.
•
In pregnant women—risk for late-
stage miscarriages, stillbirths and
infants with small birth weights.
2.
Mixing caffeine with alcohol—
common among young adults, who
may wrongly think caffeine cancels out
alcohol’s effects—has been linked to:
•
Drinking more alcohol than usual at
one time.
•
Underestimating how badly one is
impaired by the alcohol—which
could contribute to higher rates of
sexual assault and driving while
drunk.
Adults (other than pregnant
women) can probably safely consume
up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a
day. A 6-ounce cup of coffee, for
example, has 77 to 150 milligrams.
But one 8-ounce energy drink could
have anywhere from 50 to more than
500 milligrams of caffeine.
Those are some jolting gures
worth noting.
Additional sources: National Institutes of Health;
The
Journal of the American Medical Association
, Vol. 305, No. 6;
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Energy drinks
Is the jolt wor th the risk?
Consuming too much caffeine has been linked to
serious health consequences, including stroke and
sudden death.
10 FAITH REGIONAL
HEALTH SERVICES
