March 30, 2017
Energy drinks: cause many sudden cardiac deaths in young people

“Masked” caffeine
Ingredients such as guarana, ginseng, and taurine have caffeine concentrations that are equal to, or higher than, caffeine found in coffee. Ingesting high doses of any of these substances can be very dangerous. Roughly 31% of adolescents from ages 12 to 19 consume energy drinks on a regular basis. An even higher number of people use alternatives to these beverages, such as gums or inhalers. The high amounts of caffeine in all of these products is causing serious harm, the study found. Of the 5,448 caffeine overdoses reported in the United States in 2007, 46% of them occurred in people under the age of 19. The question is, how can we halt this trend of overconsumption by young people? Dr. Sanchis-Gomar and his team came up with several guidelines to keep young people from over-indulging. They caution that:- One can (250 mL) of an energy drink per day is safe for most healthy adolescents.
- Energy drink consumption before or during sports practice should be avoided.
- Adolescents with clinically relevant underlying medical conditions should consult cardiologists before drinking energy drinks.
- Excessive energy drink consumption together with alcohol or other drugs, or both, may lead to adverse effects, including death.