Energy
drinks have been popular for years, and the market keeps expanding.
Some people drink them like they would soda -- during breakfast, lunch,
dinner and as snacks. But there is such a thing as too much energy. A
study published today in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence
delivers a stern warning about the possibility of caffeine intoxication
from energy drinks.
"The
caffeine content of energy drinks varies over a 10-fold range, with
some containing the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, yet the
caffeine amounts are unlabeled and few include warnings about potential
health risks of caffeine intoxication," said one of the study's
authors, Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
A
regular 12-ounce cola drink has about 35 milligrams of caffeine. A
6-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine. The
Food and Drug Administration imposes limits on how much caffeine food
products can contain (71 milligrams for each 12-ounce can). But energy
drinks are designated as dietary supplements, not food products. Thus,
manufacturers of energy drinks can load their products with caffeine.
Moreover, says Chad Reissig, another of the study's authors: "It's
notable that over-the-counter caffeine-containing products require
warning labels, yet energy drinks do not."
Caffeine intoxication is a recognized clinical syndrome. It is
described as nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia,
gastrointestinal upset, tremors, rapid heartbeat, restlessness and
pacing. In rare cases, caffeine intoxication can cause death. See this
Mayo Clinic report on caffeine side effects and this L.A. Times story
on energy drinks that was written by a doctor.
The authors of the study have called for labeling on energy drinks to
inform consumers of what they are getting. Advertising for energy
drinks is aimed at teens and young adults and promotes the drinks as
performance enhancers. Recently, however, some manufacturers have
applied a harder edge to their marketing. One product is named Cocaine,
and another product, a powdered energy drink sold in a vial, is named
Blow. The makers of both products have received warning letters from
the FDA about misleading advertising.
But occasional hand-slaps from the FDA are not enough. Besides caffeine
intoxication, the use of energy drinks along with alcohol can be
dangerous, the Johns Hopkins researchers say. A recent survey found
that 27% of college students said they had mixed energy drinks and
alcohol at least once a month. There is even some evidence, says
Griffiths, that energy drinks may serve as a "gateway" product leading
to more serious drug abuse.
-
Shari Roan
This
article appeared in Los Angelas Times (latimes.com) blog, September 24,
2008
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