The popularity of energy drinks containing high amounts of caffeine has food and beverage producers launching all sorts of products with a jolt of caffeine—gum, jelly beans, water, and even popcorn!

Meanwhile, this trend has not escaped the attention of the Food and Drug Administration which announced that it wants to examine the cumulative impact of so many new sources of caffeine—especially since many of them are marketed to children and adolescents.

The FDA is already investigating the safety of energy drinks and energy shots following at least 150 reports of illness and 25 deaths.

Current FDA regulations governing caffeine were put in place for cola-type beverages in the 1950s and did not anticipate the proliferation of caffeine added to foods. Caffeine has the regulatory classification of "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS, which means manufacturers can add it to products and then determine on their own whether the product is safe.

Others Concerned

But it’s not just the FDA that’s noticed the influx of caffeine in the marketplace. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) shared its concerns with the FDA last year.

"Could caffeinated macaroni and cheese or breakfast cereal be next?" asked CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "One serving of any of these foods isn't likely to harm anyone. The concern is that it will be increasingly easy to consume caffeine throughout the day, sometimes unwittingly, as companies add caffeine to candies, nuts, snacks and other foods. And that's on top of the soda, coffee, tea, and energy drinks that are already widely consumed."

The American Academy of Pediatrics has also issued a report that discourages the consumption of caffeine and other stimulant substances in the diets of children and adolescents. They warned that too much caffeine can be dangerous for children, who have less ability to process the stimulant than adults.

Large amounts of caffeine can cause rapid heartbeat, seizures anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and insomnia.

We’ll be watching what happens with this hot topic. In the meantime parents may want to keep an eye out for these amped up foods.

Sources:

NBC News

Courier Journal

Center for the Public Interest

A few months ago we covered the Multiple Health Problems Associated with Energy Drinks which also discusses their growing popularity among children and teenagers despite warnings from pediatricians. Since then, there have been more deaths linked to their use and an ongoing tug of war between legislators, the FDA and makers of the products.

Amid the controversy, the consumer product safety organization Consumer Reports stepped in to shed light on one critical bit of information that many manufactures don’t give consumers—the actual amount of caffeine in their products.

What They Found

Consumer Reports purchased 27 of the top-selling energy drinks from stores in three states and tested the amount of caffeine in each. (Eleven of the 27 did not list the amount of caffeine in the product on the label.)

Among those tested, here are some of the findings: (For comparison, one 8 oz. cup of coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine.)

• The amount of caffeine per serving ranged from about 6 milligrams to 242 milligrams, but keep in mind that many bottles contained more than one serving.
• The top five containing the most caffeine were (from highest to lowest): 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength (242 mg); Rock Star Energy Shot 9229 mg); NOS High Performance Energy Drink (224 mg); Monster X-presso (221 mg).
• Among those with the lowest amounts of caffeine were: 5-Hour Energy Decaf (6 mg); FRS Healthy Energy (17 mg); Archer Farms Energy Drink Juice Infused (55 mg); Amp Energy and Bawls Guarana (71 mg).

Why the Secrecy?

If too much caffeine is the concern, then why don’t manufacturers just list the amount of caffeine in their products? There are two main reasons often cited. One is that there is no “legal or commercial business requirement” to do so, and two, manufacturers don’t want to reveal their “proprietary formulas.”

Yet the labels of more than half of those tested warn against use by children, pregnant or nursing women, and people sensitive to caffeine. Ten of the products also recommend a daily limit--which is difficult advice to follow when the amount of caffeine is not provided.

Buyer Beware

While it would be helpful for manufacturers to disclose caffeine levels, the FDA says it lacks the authority to require this. So until laws change, we are in a state of “buyer beware.”

If you can find caffeine content on the labels, here are the current daily limits: healthy adults - 400 mg; pregnant women up to 200 mg; and children, between 45 and 85 mg depending on the child’s weight.

People with certain health conditions including heart, kidney or liver problems, diabetes and mood/anxiety disorders should avoid energy drinks altogether.

Source:

Consumer Reports

There is growing concern in the medical community about energy drinks as researchers learn more about their physiological effects. As a result, there is increased pressure to add health warnings to drink labels or otherwise regulate these products.

Last year, a report on energy drinks in the journal Pediatrics cautioned: “Energy drinks have no therapeutic benefit, and many ingredients are under studied….the known and unknown pharmacology of agents included in such drinks, combined with reports of toxicity, raises concern for potentially serious adverse effects in association with energy drink use.”

A new study out of Europe found that energy drinks can increase blood pressure and cause tachycardia and arrhythmias in healthy people. The drinks also increased anxiety and insomnia among study participants. A recent U.S. study found that the acidity of some energy drinks strips away tooth enamel to a far greater extent than sports drinks.

Additional research shows that children and teens — especially those with cardiovascular, renal or liver disease, seizures, diabetes, mood and behavior disorders and hyperthyroidism — are at a higher risk for health complications from these drinks.

Energy Drinks are Different

It’s important to note that energy drinks are very different from sports drinks and sodas. Energy drinks usually contain 70 to 80 milligrams of caffeine per 8-oz. serving, more than double many cola drinks. Energy drinks also may contain guarana, a plant that contains caffeine, taurine (an amino acid), vitamins, herbal supplements and sweeteners.

Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits caffeine content in soft drinks, which are categorized as food, there is no such regulation of energy drinks, which are classified as dietary supplements.

There are also differences between energy and sports drinks. Sports drinks focus on providing carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes while energy drinks focus primarily on stimulants like caffeine or guarana or B-vitamins.

Scope of the Problem

Surveys show that 30% to 50% of teens and young adults consume energy drinks on a regular basis to boost their energy, concentration, and athletic performance.

And while many cases of overdose or death related to energy drinks have been reported in the media, we haven’t been able to track the true extent of the problem until recently. Up until 2010, U.S. poison control centers were not tracing these adverse events to energy drinks specifically; they recorded them generically as “caffeine overdoses.” That changed last year when energy drinks were given a unique reporting code by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, so their toxicity can now be tracked.

Germany has tracked energy drink–related incidents since 2002. Reported outcomes in that country include liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders, agitation, seizures, psychotic conditions, muscle breakdown, rapid heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, hypertension, heart failure, and death.

Buyer Beware

U.S. pediatricians are calling for further research before adding any new regulation but others are calling for swifter action to protect children who are at the greatest risk of harm.

In the meantime parents need to be aware of the possible effects of energy drinks and screen their use.  Adults with heart conditions, liver or kidney problems, diabetes or mood/anxiety disorders should also avoid energy drinks.

Other Functional Beverages

Energy Drinks are just one type of “functional beverage” that promises to improve your mental or physical functioning. Find out more about functional drinks in our report:  Functional Drinks Exposed: Which are Best for Your Health?

Sources:

Pediatrics

Medscape

NPR

Healthland

With drugs, food safety and supplements already on their radar, the FDA has given 30 beverage makers 30 days to answer questions about the safety and legality of selling alcoholic energy drinks laced with caffeine.

The primary concern, according to the agency: Manufacturers haven't proven that caffeine added to alcoholic drinks is safe. Previous research estimates close to 30 percent of college students have consumed these energy drinks. That's just the tip of the problem, however.

A 2007 study by the Wake Forest University School of Medicine found student patients who consumed energy beverages mixed with alcohol were at least twice as likely to be hurt or injured, require medical aid and ride with an intoxicated driver compared to those who didn't drink them. Additionally, young adults who drank alcohol-laced energy drinks were more than twice as likely to take advantage of a fellow student sexually.

Citing these very same risks of injury and intoxication, a petition signed by 100 physicians and scientists more than a year ago urged the FDA to strengthen their regulation of all energy drinks, asking the agency to require manufacturers to list the amount of caffeine in their drinks along with information about potential side effects.

Probably the best known name producer in this group: Diageo North America, makers of Smirnoff Raw Tea Malt Beverage. Hit this link, for a full list of companies that produce caffeinated alcoholic beverages and brand names.

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