It’s that time of the year again: kids are going back to school. And with that comes the endless nights of waiting until the last minute to finish that pesky art project, cram the unread chapters for the quiz the next day, or frantically finish a mid-term paper. In the past 10 years or so, children in high school and college have begun turning to energy drinks as source to keep their eyes open and brains working late in the morning hours. But should they?
In an article posted by the Houston Chronicle, more energy drink usage among kids has many people concerned. The concern has risen to such a high level; Congress has begun conducting hearings on the issue, a concern analogous to health epidemic taking the country by storm. So why should we be concerned? Dr. John Higgins, from the University of Texas Health Science Center explains, “It’s not just the caffeine in the drinks […] It appears that the interaction of caffeine, sugars and vitamins creates a whole different beast, a whole new pharmaco-dynamic.”
This potent dynamic Dr. Higgins talks about can best be described by the findings from the Food and Drug Administration, which reported that the mix in energy drinks has been linked to “five deaths, 53 illnesses and two lasting disabilities. The administration has not determined the drinks caused the harm, but the autopsy report of a 14-year-old girl who died after drinking two 24-ounce Monster beverages within 24 hours listed caffeine toxicity as the cause of death.”
While the American Medical Association is calling for a ban on energy drinks being advertised to anyone under the age of 18, Dr. Higgins recommends a much further step: Don’t drink energy drinks if you are under 18 or pregnant and if you do drink energy drinks, limit your consumption to 2 (two) cans per 24 hours!
Make sure you watch your intake of energy drinks and try to stay away from them even if you need that late night boost to finish that term paper. If you or someone you know has been affected from energy drink consumption please contact us.
Wooten Kimbrough, P.A. Orlando Product Liability Attorneys
