That's A Lot Of (Red) Bull
This week I am focusing on energy drinks - especially when consumed by children, adolescents and college-age adults. My attention was drawn to this issue by a recent review published in the journal Pediatrics (Seifert et al, Pediatrics, 127: 511-528, 2011).
Energy drinks are the fastest growing segment of the US beverage market, and half of all the energy drinks sold in the United States are consumed by children, adolescents and young adults (19-25 years old).
"What's the problem with energy drinks?" you might ask.
To begin with they are sweetened beverages and, as such, contribute to the obesity epidemic in this country.
However, a more pressing concern is the caffeine content of these beverages which can range from 70 mg to over 160 mg per serving - that's 3 to 5 times greater than the caffeine content of a typical cola drink.
And natural ingredients such as guarana, kola nut and yerbe mate are no better. For example, each gram of guarana supplies 40 to 80 mg of caffeine, and the biological potency of caffeine from guarana may be greater than the same amount of caffeine in a cola drink because it has a much longer half-life in the blood.
The large amount of caffeine in energy drinks is allowed only because of a loophole in our regulatory system.
The FDA limits the amount of caffeine that can be added to soft drinks because they are regulated as foods. Energy drink manufacturers get around those restrictions by classifying their drinks as dietary supplements.
And, of course, the problem isn't just the amount of caffeine in a single energy drink, it is that many children, adolescents and young adults drink more than one energy drink a day - in addition to soft drinks, coffee and other caffeine containing foods and beverages.
Adolescents in the US consume an average of 70-80 mg/day of caffeine, and some consume up to 800 mg/day.
That much caffeine can be a problem!
For adults 12.5 - 100 mg/day has mostly beneficial effects such as improved exercise endurance, alertness, reaction time and mood - especially if the individual is sleep deprived.
However, caffeine intakes of 135 - 400 mg/day can lead to anxiety, jitteriness and insomnia. And daily intakes above that can cause tremors, irregular heart beat, palpitations and nausea.
But that's just the average adult. Some adults and many children experience the adverse effects of caffeine at much lower doses.
That's a real concern because 28% of 12-14 year olds, 31% of 12-17 year olds, 34% of 18-21 year olds and 51% of college students report consuming one or more energy drinks on a daily basis. And to make matters even worse 54% of the college students regularly mix energy drinks with alcoholic beverages.
The health risks of high caffeine intake are not trivial. Poison control centers in the US and several other countries are reporting an upswing of children, adolescents and young adults admitted with seizures, agitation, psychotic conditions, tachycardia, cardiac dysrhythmias, high blood pressure, heart failure and even death due to overconsumption of energy drinks.
The message is simple:
Energy drinks have all of the disadvantages of soft drinks AND they have a much higher caffeine content.
While caffeine can serve as a simple pick-me-up if consumed in moderation, it can have serious health consequences if consumed in excess.
A word to the wise would be to add up the total amount of caffeine you - and especially your children - are consuming on a daily basis. If your total caffeine consumption exceeds 100 mg/day (50-70 mg/day for children depending on their age), you might want to consider reducing your intake of energy drinks.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food
and Drug Administration. This information is not
intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.
The above information is from Dr. Stephen Chaney
www.chaneyhealth.com
Comments:
Blog Content
Archive:
- 2019
- January (6)
- Crazy Little Thing Called... Hyperdontia?
- Transform Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers
- Treating a Young, Permanent Tooth Requires a Different Approach
- Dental Implants Better than Ever thanks to Ongoing Tech Advances
- NBC Star Delivers a Message about the "Perfect" Smile
- Be Alert to the Unintended Consequences of Cancer Treatment to Oral Health
- 2018
- November (6)
- 2.6 Million Fans 'Like' Justin Bieber's Chipped Tooth
- Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
- This November, Become a Non-Smoker
- Take a Look into Your Future with a Trial Smile
- Dental Injury Is Just a Temporary Setback for Basketball Star Kevin Love
- Moderate Your Child's Juice Drinking to Lower Tooth Decay Risk
- October (6)
- Even with Mercury, Dental Amalgam is a Safe Choice for Tooth Filling
- Guide Your Older Children or Teens through These 3 Oral Health Areas
- Sofia Vergara: 'Obsessed' With Oral Hygiene
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- Keep on Course during the 3 Phases of a Smile Makeover
- Do you need Simple Tooth Removal or Surgery? It Depends on a few Factors
- September (6)
- Steely Dan Founder's Death Highlights Importance of Early Cancer Detection
- Fixed or Removable: Deciding Which Implant-Supported Bridge is Best for You
- Chewing Tobacco is Just as Addictive and Dangerous as Smoking
- Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- Fan of Superhero Film Black Panther Breaks Steel Wire...with Her Mouth!
- It's National Gum Care Month - Take Care of Your Gums
- August (6)
- Answers to Common Questions About Root Canal Treatments
- Advances in Dental Health that may be Waiting for us Just around the Corner
- Margot Robbie Knows: A Great Smile Is Worth Protecting
- Sleep Apnea Might be Robbing you of More than a Good Night's Sleep
- Don't Fear the Root Canal - it Could Save Your Tooth
- 'Simple' Tooth Extractions are a Common Dental Procedure
- July (7)
- A Different Kind of "Chip Shot" for Pro Golfer Danielle Kang
- Ready for Summer Camp? Be Sure to Pack a Toothbrush
- What Happens in a Root Canal Treatment and How it Can Save Your Tooth
- Take Steps to Treat Chronic Mouth Breathing as Early as Possible
- Julianne Hough Shares a Video - and a Song - After Wisdom Teeth Come Out
- Get Your Vitamins the Natural Way for Optimum Dental Health
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- June (6)
- Don't Forget Hidden Fluoride Sources Your Family Could be Ingesting
- Charlize Theron Back in Action After Dental Surgery
- Tips to Brighten Your Summer Smile
- Lasers Beginning to Change Some Root Canal Procedures
- Get a Look at Your Future Makeover Look Now with a 'Trial Smile'
- How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile
- March (5)
- Instill Good Dental Habits in Your Child as Early as Possible
- In Today's NFL, Oral Hygiene Takes Center Stage
- Lasers Adding New Precision and Efficiency to Root Canal Treatments
- A Root Canal Treatment may be Your Best Chance to Save a Tooth
- Not Enough Bone Support for an Implant? Here's a Way to Rebuild It
- 2017
- May (5)
- Clean Your Implants Just Like you Clean Your Natural Teeth
- Tooth-Colored Fillings Provide a Viable Alternative to Dental Amalgam
- No- or Minimal-Prep Veneers Reduce Permanent Alterations to Your Teeth
- Life Is Sometimes a Grind for Brooke Shields
- Only a Dental Exam can Identify the Root Cause of Your Tooth Pain
- April (5)
- The Top 3 Oral Problems in America - and What You Should Do About Them
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
- Keep the Space between an Implant-Supported Bridge and the Gums Clean
- Don't Let Smoking Increase Your Chances of Implant Failure
- February (5)
- Try Conservative Measures to Treating TMD Before More Aggressive Options
- New Crowns Give Both Durability and Beauty to Problem Teeth
- Actress Emma Stone Reveals How Thumb Sucking Affected Her Teeth
- A Root Canal Can Stop Tooth Decay and Save Your Tooth
- Get an Early Start Treating Root Resorption Before it's Too Late
- 2016
- June (5)
- Getting the Full Picture of Your Decay Risk Leads to Better Prevention Strategies
- Consider a Removable Partial Denture as a Temporary Solution After Tooth Loss
- Not all Crowns are Alike - or Cost the Same
- Dr. Travis Stork: If Only I'd Worn A Mouthguard!
- Create a Strategy to Deal with Dental Problems to Avoid Future Expenses
- March (5)
- Though not Always Seen, it's Still Important to Replace a Missing Back Tooth
- Keep an Eye on your Gums to Catch Disease Early
- Jimmy Fallon Can’t Catch a Break - Except in His Tooth
- Treating Small Enamel Cracks Could Help you Avoid a Dangerous Tooth Fracture
- Although a Global Problem, Tooth Decay can be Prevented
- 2015
- December (5)
- Gaining a New Attractive Smile is More than Achievable
- Master Illusionist Benefits from the Magic of Orthodontics
- Daily Hygiene Tasks Performed Properly Help Ensure Good Oral Health
- Regenerating Lost Bone Can Make Dental Implants a Reality
- Some Patients Might Need Antibiotics Before Routine Dental Work
- October (7)
- Tom Hanks' Abscessed Tooth Gets Cast Away
- 12 Reasons Why Sweet Potato Is So Good For You
- Removing Wisdom Teeth now may Prevent Dental Problems Later
- Don't Panic! Take Methodical Approach to Help Your Child Stop Thumb Sucking
- NO INSURANCE...NO WORRIES!
- Limit Acidic Beverages to Protect Your Child's Tooth Enamel from Erosion
- New Front Teeth for a Teenaged David Duchovny
- 2014
- August (6)
- How Dentistry Saved Kathy Ireland's Smile
- Bad Breath Might be a Sign of a More Serious Oral Condition
- 7 Habits to Avoid While Brushing Your Teeth
- Dental Hygienist - Your Partner in Preventing Disease and Maintaining Oral Health
- Are Cavities Contagious?
- Fitness Expert Jillian Michaels Helps Kick Sleep Apnea
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- December (5)
- Stopping Addiction to Sugar: Willpower or Genetics? - tips from Berger Dental Bites
- SMILE FOR YOUR HEALTH - tips from Berger Dental Bites
- HEALTHY GUMS COULD PREVENT A HEART ATTACK - tips from Berger Dental Bites
- DENTAL INSURANCE - tips from Berger Dental Bites
- FIGHT HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN - tips from Berger Dental Bites
Tags
- celebrity smiles (87)
- oral health (51)
- local anesthesia (2)
- snoring and sleep apnea (2)
- common symptoms (4)
- dentures (5)
- bone grafting (3)
- dental implants (35)
- missing teeth (4)
- oral hygiene (33)
- tooth decay quiz (1)
- tooth decay (13)
- laser dentistry (3)
- bridge (3)
- dental implant (2)
- dental injury (7)
- dental emergency (2)
- root canal (8)
- pediatric dentistry (13)
- sinus surgery (2)
- nutrition (4)
- oral cancer (3)
- teeth whitening (10)
- cosmetic dentistry (32)
- dental health tips (1)
- dental emergencies (1)
- orthodontic treatment (8)
- sedation dentistry (4)
- oral sedation (3)
- dental anxiety (2)
- bad breath (5)
- toothache (6)
- tooth pain (8)
- wisdom teeth (6)
- braces (8)
- orthodontics (5)
- invisalign (1)
- clear orthodontic aligners (1)
- crown (2)
- mouth rinse (1)
- sealants (1)
- dental hygiene (1)
- clear aligners (2)
- furcation (1)
- bridgework (1)
- smile makeover (14)
- mouthguards (4)
- dental treatment (2)
- dental care (3)
- sleep apnea (5)
- cavity (1)
- dental hygienist (1)
- veneers (5)
- porcelain veneers (5)
- crowns (8)
- eating disorder (1)
- dental health (1)
- chipped teeth (2)
- dental erosion (1)
- loose dentures (1)
- impacted wisdom teeth (1)
- bonding (3)
- gum disease (8)
- heart disease (1)
- air abrasion (1)
- cambra (1)
- eating disorders (1)
- tooth wear (1)
- grinding (1)
- teething (1)
- chipped tooth (4)
- pregnancy (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- snoring (4)
- gluten (1)
- cold sore (2)
- tooth erosion (1)
- thumb sucking (2)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- pediatric care (1)
- antibiotics (1)
- smile design (2)
- root canal treatment (7)
- tooth replacement (1)
- mouthguard (1)
- partial denture (2)
- teeth wear (1)
- root resorption (1)
- tmj disorders (3)
- dental implant bridge (1)
- teeth grinding (1)
- fillings (2)
- tooth grinding (1)
- shingles (1)
- extractions (2)
- oral appliance (1)
- sugar (1)
- wedding day smile (1)
- bone graft (1)
- oral heath (1)
- canker sore (1)
- tooth extraction (2)
- retainers (1)
- fluoride (1)
- retainer (2)
- chewing tobacco (1)
- sports drinks (1)
- GERD (1)
- flossing (1)
- cancer (1)
- extraction (1)
ADA Patient Library