Energy drinks

A study in the journal Pedatrics about children and energy drinks has been highlighted in the news recently. Energy drinks are those that provide large amounts of caffeine and other ingredients, not to be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade. Monster, Red Bull, Nos, and Rockstar are examples of common energy drinks.

The FDA regulates the amount of caffeine in sodas to 71 mg in a 12 ounce serving. However, energy drinks and their caffeine amount are not regulated by the FDA. Energy drinks typically have three to five times the amount of caffeine as a soda (77 mg of caffeine in 8 ounces of Red Bull vs. 28 mg of caffeine in 8 ounces of Mountain Dew). Eight ounces of coffee contains between 60 and 120 mg of caffeine, but the health benefits of coffee are well-documented and the ingredients are all safe. The problem is that most energy drinks come in 12 or 16 ounce containers and most individuals who consume them usually drink more than just one.

Taurine and guarana are two other ingredients in energy drinks. The safety of those two ingredients is not well-known because research is very limited in this area.

Caffeine in moderation can have cognitive, attention, and athletic performance benefits in adults. Is it not known if caffeine has the same benefits in children. The safety of caffeine consumption in children is controversial.

Overconsumption of energy drinks for children and young adults can lead to many health problems such as stroke, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, seizure, anxiety, and possibly even death.

The combination of the high amounts of caffeine and unknown ingredient safety information about energy drinks makes them dangerous to consume for people of all ages. Children and teens should not consume energy drinks at all. Adults should consume energy drinks in very limited amounts or not at all.

The recent study challenges pediatricians to ask their patients and parents about energy drink consumption and to advise against children drinking them.

For more information on energy drinks, you can read this article on Missouri Families or this article on eXtension.