Energy
Drinks
what you need to know
What are Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are beverages that claim to stimulate
and energize the user. They contain high
amounts of caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant that makes the user
more alert and delays sleep.
Examples of energy drinks include:
o
Monster ®
o
Red Bull Energy
Drink ®
o
Red Rain ®
o
Rockstar ®
o
SoBe Adrenaline Rush ®
o
SoBe No Fear ®
Why should I be concerned about Energy
Drinks?
Research
has indicated that children and teens are the main consumers of energy
drinks. Although energy drinks are not
sold at school, many students are purchasing them during their recess or lunch
breaks at local stores. While most
energy drink labels do caution that children
should not consume these beverages, there are currently no regulations
prohibiting sale to children. The
primary reasons students gave for drinking energy drinks were to increase
energy, improve athletic performance and because of the taste, peer pressure and attractive packaging.
Teachers
and school administrators are concerned about the consumption of energy drinks
because students who drink them have increased behavioral problems and are unable
to concentrate in class. Parents should
be concerned about the affects that the large amount of caffeine is having on
their children, especially if they are also taking medication.
How much caffeine is safe?
There
is no human requirement for caffeine in the diet. Health
|
Children,
4 – 6 years |
45
mg per day |
|
Children,
7 – 9 years |
62
mg per day |
|
Children,
10 – 12 years |
85
mg per day |
|
Adults |
400
mg per day |
It takes very little for children
to reach these limits, as indicated by the following list of caffeine amounts
in common foods and beverages:
|
Chocolate
Bar |
10
mg caffeine |
|
Cola
(12oz can) |
40
mg caffeine |
|
Tea
(8oz cup, medium) |
45
mg caffeine |
|
Coffee
(8oz cup, medium) |
95
mg caffeine |
|
Energy
Drink (16oz can) |
160
mg caffeine |
What are the health risks of too much
caffeine?
Over
consumption of caffeine through beverages such as energy drinks can cause the
following negative symptoms:
o
Anxiety
o
Dehydration
o
Electrolyte disturbances
o
Excessive
urination
o
Headaches
o
Nausea and
vomiting
o
Rapid heartbeat
o
Restlessness
o
Sleeplessness
What can I do to minimize the risks
associated with Energy Drinks?
Please
support your school administration by encouraging your child to not consume
energy drinks during the school day.
Instead, please encourage your child to consume healthy, non-caffeinated
beverages such as water, 100% fruit juice, white milk and chocolate milk.
References:
Dietitians of
Health