Caffeinated Energy Drinks

Posted on | January 14, 2009 | Comments Off on Caffeinated Energy Drinks

Should they have warning labels?

Should there be warning labels on caffeinated alcoholic beverages that have exploded onto the marketplace in the past few years? Experts at Johns Hopkins say yes. "The caffeine content of energy drinks varies over a 10-fold range, with some containing the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, yet the caffeine amounts are often unlabeled and few include warnings about the potential health risks of caffeine intoxication," says Roland Griffiths, Ph.D.

US citizens spend $5.4 billion a year on the drinks and the market is expanding at a rate of 55 percent annually. The promise? Ads claim performance-enhancement and the power of a stimulant. Over half of college students in one 2007 survey had used the beverages in the prior month. Nearly one fifth reported heart palpitations from the drinks, and nearly one third use the energy drinks as mixers for alcohol.
Energy drinks are marketed as "dietary supplements". By doing that, the manufacturers escape FDA limits on caffeine content — 71 milligrams per 12-ounce can. This is different from over-the-counter caffeine-containing products which require warning labels. That’s critical since the amount of caffeine in these drinks varies from 50 to more than 500 milligrams.
Now these drinks are not to be confused with “sports drinks,” like Gatorade, POWERade and AllSport, which attempt to mirror the body’s electrolyte and carbohydrate composition and claim to replenish losses that occur with exercise. In contrast, energy drinks are highly caffeinated beverages often containing other stimulants that claim to increase mental and physical stamina.

Why are the public alarms going off? Because these drinks can be dangerous especially for young adults.

First, for young women of child-bearing age, there’s a huge red flag. Caffeine crosses the placenta with ease, exposing the growing fetus to the substance as well. Since most experts recommend a daily limit of 300mg of caffeine during pregnancy, a high-caffeine energy drink is a terrible idea.

The second major concern is the use of energy drinks in association with sports and exercise. What’s the problem? These drinks aren’t thirst quenchers – they’re dehydrators. Caffeine itself has a mildly dehydrating effect. But it’s the concentration of sugar in energy drinks that’s really the problem here. High levels of carbohydrates, in the form of glucose, slow the body’s absorption of water, which reinforces dehydration. In other words, energy drinks are not suitable for use during or after exercise.

The third concern is the use of energy drinks with alcohol, usually vodka. Taste is often not the primary attraction here. Rather, mostly young drinkers, feel the mixture of caffeine with alcohol cancels out some of the negative effects of drunkenness, including sleepiness and discoordination, allowing them to stay out longer and consume additional alcohol.

Dr. David Katz from Yale University voiced the concern clearly when he said, “This is just the combination that might lead to very bad judgments… Feeling less intoxicated and more alert, one might get behind the wheel of a car, but with impaired coordination and reaction time, that decision might spell disaster.

As always, I’m interested in your feedback. Read the full transcript of this blog, with more details, or watch the video embedded with this post, then send an email with your thoughts.