Energy drinks have broad appeal making them a winning product for the beverage industry. Adults, teens and even young children are drawn to these beverages with promises of increased physical performance and cognitive function, not to mention the added benefit of vivid alertness. The trouble is that the power behind these beverages may come with a high price: your health.
Energy Drinks
Energy drinks offer additional vitamins, minerals and supplements you do not find in traditional colas. These include several B vitamins, guarana, taurine and ginseng -- all in safe amounts for consumption. What you may not know is that the real culprit is an everyday additive most are familiar with: caffeine. The United States Food and Drug Administration recognizes safe consumption of caffeine in a cola beverage to be at a 0.02 percent level. Most colas contain about 34 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces compared with 80 to 100 milligrams per 8-ounce serving of popular energy drinks.
The Body's Response to Caffeine
Caffeine is an addictive substance in all its many forms. Coffee, tea, diet pills and energy drinks stimulate the human central nervous system upon consumption. Caffeine acts on receptors in the brain, creating a feeling that makes the body crave more. Despite what your brain may be telling you, more is not necessarily the best option. The amount of caffeine in an 8-ounce serving of the leading energy drinks can cause a variety of adverse health effects, including damage to your heart, regardless of your age and current health status.
Heart Trouble
Excessive amounts of caffeine can spell serious trouble for your cardiovascular system. High amounts, such as those found in popular energy drinks, raise blood pressure, induce restlessness and irritate the gastric system. Various studies report that consumption of caffeine above 250 milligrams per dose can cause rapid heart beat, heart palpitations, anxiety, tremors and even death. A 2008 article in the "Journal of Medical Case Reports" mentions two boys, ages 14 and 16, who were admitted to the hospital for atrial fibrillation -- which is rapid pumping of the upper chambers of the heart -- after consuming unknown quantities of an energy drink. Atrial fibrillation is extremely rare in individuals this young.
Warning
A health report in "The New York Times" discusses how energy drinks are classified as supplements, therefore they currently avoid the FDA's regulation of a maximum of 71 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce serving. Additionally, they are not required to post hazardous warnings or list adverse side effects on their packaging. According to a 2011 report by the "American Academy of Pediatrics," 5,448 caffeine overdoses were reported in the United States in 2007. Just less than half of those occurred in individuals younger than 20 years of age.
References
- "The New York Times"; Scientists See Dangers in Energy Drinks; Jane E. Brody; January 2011
- "Journal of the American Pharmacists Association"; Safety Issues Associated With Commercially Available Energy Drinks; K.A. Clauson, et al.; November 2008
- "American Academy of Pediatrics"; Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults; S.M. Seifert, et al.; February 2011
- "Journal of Medical Case Reports"; Atrial Fibrillation in Healthy Adolescents after Highly Caffeinated Beverage Consumption; J.R. Di Rocco, et al.; April 2011
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