The hyper-caffeinated energy drinks that have become so popular in recent years pose potentially serious dangers for the young people most likely to consume them, a new report says.
The report, written by researchers from the University of Miami medical school, was published in the journal Pediatrics. As the Associated Press reports, the authors say that the potential harms to the young include heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death.
Based on an exhaustive survey of existing research on energy drinks, the report was all the more alarming because of the popularity of beverages such as Red Bull and Monster among young people. One survey that was cited found that 51 percent of college students regularly consume the caffeine-loaded brews, while reports focusing on a broader slice of the youth population found that no less than 30 percent of adolescents and young adults drink the stuff.
The medical impact of overdoing it with Red Bull and the like can be significant. In Ireland and Germany, there have been documented cases of disorders as severe as kidney failure, arrhythmia and seizures as a result of energy drinks.
The authors also said that energy drinks can exaggerate heart conditions, especially in adolescents with eating disorders, and can lead to weight gain and diabetes.
In the absence of further research establishing safe consumption levels, the authors recommended that such drinks be regulated as stringently as tobacco, alcohol and prescription drugs.
I agree they should put a restriction on energy drinks for children. The fact is if you are a kid and you need more energy there is something wrong with you.