Energy drinks have become very popular in the marketplace, especially among young people. A study by the American Journal of Health Promotion found that many teens have misconceptions about the safety of consuming these drinks. Often, adolescents mistake these beverages for sports drinks, but the two kinds of products are very different.
Energy drinks contain hundreds of milligrams of caffeine, among other ingredients, as compared to 35 to 40 mg of caffeine in a typical can of cola. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns of detriments to kids’ health from these stimulants and recommends that young people refrain from consuming these drinks at all.
An added risk involves mixing energy drinks with alcohol. Binge drinking is more likely when the two are combined as compared to the consumption of alcohol alone. An additional elevated risk is the rate of being victimized under the influence of the mixture as in comparison to the likelihood under the influence of alcohol alone.
It’s not just high school and college students who are vulnerable to the dangers of energy drinks. Forty percent of calls about energy drinks to poison control centers involve kids under the age of six.
Let’s do all we can to keep our kids their healthiest. Educate them about the health consequences of these products and restrict their availability while providing healthy alternatives.
