By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Do Electronic Health Records Reduce Malpractice Claims?
    February 2, 2013
    A Humble Opinion: Book Review
    May 3, 2015
    medicaid
    Paul Krugman: Stop Being an Embarrassment to the Profession
    March 7, 2013
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Kids, Energy Drinks Don’t Mix
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Kids, Energy Drinks Don’t Mix
Public Health

Kids, Energy Drinks Don’t Mix

GlennLaffel
GlennLaffel
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE
Energy drinks represent the fastest growing segment of beverage sales in the US, with revenues predicted to surpass $9 billion this year. Children, teens and young adults consume at least half of all energy drinks. Is there a problem with this? Perhaps so, according to the results of a new study. Many energy drinks contain high levels of unregulated ingredients and therefore could pose a health risk to the younger folks who consume them so avidly.

To review the effects and adverse consequences of energy drink consumption among children, adolescents, and young adults, Sara Seifert, of the University of Miami, and colleagues searched PubMed and Google for an assortment of terms including “energy drink,” “sports drink,” “guarana,” “caffeine,” “taurine,” “diabetes,” and “poison control center.” They reviewed the articles they found as well as manufacturer Web sites for product information.

The review suggested that 30-50% of young people consume energy drinks in the US, although there is considerable variation in the types of drinks consumed and the frequency with which they are consumed.

The adverse consequences of energy drink consumption, as documented by the scientists’ review, can be divided into 3 categories: caffeine overdoses, organ system dysfunction and interactions with drugs. Let’s review these briefly:

Caffeine Overdoses Nearly half of the 5,448 caffeine overdoses in 2007 involved people who were 19 years old or less, the scientists reported. They weren’t able to determine which cases were caused by the consumption of energy drinks, but suggested that it is substantial.

Energy drinks typically contain between 70-80 mg of caffeine per 8-oz. serving, or about 3 times as much as is found in most cola drinks. Since energy drinks are classified as dietary supplements rather than food, producers aren’t required to specify the caffeine content on the label, or the amounts of other ingredients which could add more caffeine.

Caffeine is the primary active ingredient in most energy drinks, but other ingredients like kola nuts, guarana, cocoa and yerba mate can significantly increase overall caffeine content.

For example each gram of guarana adds 40 to 80 mg of caffeine to the drink, not to mention small amounts of the stimulants theophylline and theobromine.

Organ System Dysfunction Seifert’s literature review revealed a long list of physiologic problems and symptoms that have been attributed to energy drinks. These included diabetes, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, rhabdomyolysis, kidney and liver damage, behavioral and mood disorders and seizures.

The scientists found that kids with baseline health problems (including liver or kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, behavioral problems and hyperthyroidism) were at particularly high risk for complications from energy drinks.

Deaths attributed to energy drinks have been documented in Germany and Ireland.

Drug Interactions Seifert’s group said that energy drinks containing vinpocetine, 5-hydroxytryptophan, ginseng, L-carnitine and yohimbine were particularly likely to cause adverse drug reactions, though they didn’t provide much data on how often these events actually happened.

“Energy drinks have no therapeutic benefit, and many ingredients are…not regulated,” Seifert’s group concluded. “Both the known and unknown pharmacology of various ingredients, combined with reports of toxicity, suggest that these drinks may put some children at risk for serious adverse health effects.”

The write-up appears in Pediatrics

TAGGED:energy drinkspediatricspublic health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

The Downer of High Altitude Sickness

June 23, 2011

Why drug price regulation should not be ruled out

October 1, 2015

Ten Hurdles to Patient Adherence

June 14, 2012
Health carePublic HealthWellness

Impacts of Drug Abuse on Current Generation and Ways to Counter Them

April 12, 2018
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?