Selina Iglesias: Greene Publishing, Inc.
We live in a fast-paced world, and often, we rely on caffeine to get us through the work day. Some people choose coffee or tea, and others choose soft drinks and energy drinks. Energy drinks have become increasingly popular throughout the years; in the United States, sales increased by 60 percent between 2008 and 2012. It is estimated that 68 percent of adolescents, 30 percent of adults and 18 percent of children under the age of 10 consume the beverages.
These energy drinks are marketed to look healthy and safe and claim to improve focus and activity. But, this is definitely not the case.
Energy drinks contain at least these stimulants:
Guarana: An herb used to prevent tiredness and improve mental speed. It also is used to promote weight loss and increase sexual desire.
Taurine: A supplement used to improve memory and endurance.
Ginseng: An herb used to help reduce stress, strengthen muscles, and improve endurance.
Synephrine (bitter orange): An herb used to promote weight loss.
L-carnitine l-tartrate (LCLT): A supplement used to increase energy, memory, and speed.
Yerba mate: An herb used to prevent tiredness and improve mood.
Gingko: An herb used to increase focus and prevent tiredness.
St. John’s Wort: An herb used to reduce stress and improve mood.
All of these stimulants are fine by themselves, but when combined with caffeine, the mixture is life-threatening.
Energy drinks can have anywhere from 100 to 250 mg of caffeine per serving. A 12-oz. (tall) coffee from Starbucks will run you about 260 mg, while a 14-oz. Dunkin’ Donuts coffee contains 178 mg. An eight ounce cup of coffee from the drip usually has about 95 mg of caffeine.
Eighty percent of adults consume caffeine every day and the average adult has a daily intake of 200 mg. Moderate caffeine consumption is considered to be in the range of 300-400 milligrams (mg) per day, which can be converted into five shots of espresso, four to seven cups of drip coffee and five energy drinks.
Every person reacts differently to the drug, but the level where someone starts to have caffeine toxicity symptoms is usually when the caffeine levels get above 400 mg. For many of us, a cup of coffee doesn't help us wake up completely, and by mid-day, we turn to a soda or energy drink (or even both) to hold us over until the clock says 5 p.m.
According to several website sources, too much caffeine can result in headaches, dizziness, chest pain, insomnia, dental issues, seizures, heart problems, withdrawal symptoms and, in some cases, death. Children and teens are especially sensitive to caffeine.
The biggest issue with energy drinks is that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has little control or regulation because energy drinks are usually labeled as dietary supplements. This means that the FDA has not tested the ingredients, and many of the claims on the packaging have not been proven.
To add to the issue, energy drink manufacturers can currently choose whether to label their products as a beverage or dietary supplements. Manufacturers that designate their energy drinks as beverages must comply with the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (NLEA) and label the drinks with conventional Nutrition Facts panels. Manufacturers of energy drinks designated as dietary supplements must comply with the labeling requirements of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Instead of the Nutrition Facts panels, these products are labeled with Supplement Facts panels, on which manufacturers can list ingredients that aren’t permitted on beverage labels under the NLEA. Thus, labeling is inconsistent across companies. Many energy drinks fail to even mention the correct amount of caffeine in their drinks as well.
According to a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), eight percent of young people drink energy drinks weekly, 20 percent think energy drinks are safe drinks for teens, and 13 percent think energy drinks are a type of sports drink.
Although there have been several studies to provide evidence of energy drinks being harmful, that doesn't stop the target audience from consuming them. That's because, being a $5.4 million dollar industry, the leaders in the energy drink world, like Monster, Red Bull, Amp, Rockstar and Mountain Dew KickStart know exactly how to pull in their victims.
The energy drink label claims the sugary liquid inside will “give you wings,” make you “party like a rockstar,” or “give you the energy you need and the flavors you crave,” and using these slogans create a shadow over the real health risks within the cans. Even worse, the energy drink industry knows just where to lurk: in schools, at sporting events, and even in advertisements for popular video game platforms and television shows watched by teens. Monster is especially infamous for targeting customers through gaming, as they have an entire social media network dedicated to Monster Gaming. In fact, a study conducted by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior linked higher energy drink consumption to more frequent video game playing.
It isn't helpful that most schools carry caffeinated products in the vending machines in the hallways and cafeteria’s, many supplying energy drinks.
Recently, an otherwise healthy teen in South Carolina lost his life after consuming three caffeinated drinks in the span of several hours, bringing what the coroner describes as a “cardiac event.”
This isn't the first death from energy drinks; in 2011, a 14-year-old consumed 480 mg of caffeine in one day; in 2012, five deaths were linked to Monster; a 16-year-old who died on vacation on June 14 in Mexico after consuming several cans of Red Bull, and even more recent, in 2016, a 19-year-old from California overdosed on caffeine and went into cardiac arrest after consuming two 16-ounce Monsters in one day. There are a number of people outside of the US who have also died from energy-drink related overdoses.
Until the FDA decides to tighten the reigns on regulations of energy drinks, there are cautionary steps you can implement into your everyday life to make sure you aren't running yourself at risk for caffeine overdose. While it is okay to consume caffeine, it is important to keep track of your (and your children's) caffeine intake. Remember to look at the serving size provided on the label and, if you consume more than one serving, factor this into your total caffeine intake for the day.
You should also be aware of these risks and talk to your kids about them. Promote a healthy diet with regular sleep and exercise. People who do this should have enough natural energy and can get through the day without the help of caffeine, according to the IFIC.
Talk to your child about caffeine and make them aware of the risks that can occur from consuming too much. For those children who are into sports, leave the energy drinks out of their daily routine, as it can affect their performance and increase the risk of caffeine overdose, since it has been found consuming energy drinks before exercising can cause heart issues.