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

Last week the news headlines warned of a “new health threat” -- arsenic in rice. While we applaud the media for covering research that confirmed what many have known for years, there is a much bigger story here. And that is the overwhelming, pervasive presence of toxins in our food supply to the point that they are nearly unavoidable—even by eating organic.

It may sound trite, but it’s true--we live in a toxic world. The air, soil and water, including the world’s oceans are filled with increasing amounts of chemicals and heavy metals from a variety of sources. From industrial waste and pollution to “modern” farming techniques that employ a chemical cocktail of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, the sources of harmful contaminants are all around us.

So is it any wonder that rice—or any food for that matter--contains high amounts of arsenic or other harmful substances?

Still, the news leaves many wondering what amount of rice is safe to eat.

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a statement. “Our advice right now is that consumers should continue to eat a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of grains – not only for good nutrition but also to minimize any potential consequences from consuming any one particular food.”

For infants who are often weaned on rice, the recommendation is to limit rice to once a week or consider other alternatives such as barley or oatmeal. It is best to speak with your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns.

The type of rice and growing region can also affect your risk. In resent tests, brown rice, which retains the outer bran, carried higher levels of arsenic. Also rice from Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas generally showed higher levels of arsenic than rice samples from India, Thailand and California.

More to the Story

Frankly, we are saddened every time we write yet another post about the latest toxic food scare. It wasn’t that long ago that we reported on high levels of arsenic found in apple juice or mercury and PCBs in fish.

But perhaps even more worrisome is what we don’t yet know. Only a fraction of the food we eat is even tested for known toxins like arsenic. And, in many cases, as with rice, there are no set limits or agreement on what is a “safe” amount in food.

This means that we could be just scratching the surface of a much bigger health problem.

Sources:

NPR

Chicago Tribune

According to the Alliance for Natural Health International, a European supplement industry organization, supplements and herbal products are among the safest things you can put in your body.

Citing statistics for the risk of dying from other typically ingested products, the Alliance points out that pharmaceuticals are 62,000 times more likely to cause death than a supplement. They add that the odds at dying from a supplement are 1 in 10 million—which is about the same as being struck and killed by lighting.

Despite this safety record, the European Union is considering legislation to restrict supplement marketing and advertising on the grounds of public safety. So now the Alliance is waging a “war of statistics” that challenge the government’s justification for new regulation.

To put the risk of supplement use in perspective, the Alliance says:

• you are 900 times more likely to die from food poisoning than supplement use
• 300,000 times more likely to die from a preventable medical injury during a stay in a UK hospital
• and about 300,000 more likely to die from active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan

Arguing against the proposed regulations, the Alliance executive and scientific director, Robert Verkerk, PhD, said, “Governments justify the increasingly elaborate and restrictive new laws affecting natural health products on the grounds of public safety. They argue that reducing consumer access to food supplements and herbal remedies with the consequent negative impacts on small business manufacturing, distributing and selling such products is in society’s interest.  But the evidence is simply not there.”

U.S. Supplement Crackdown?

Do you rely on supplements for your health and well-being? Would you want the U.S. government to limit supplement access or impose new restrictions on supplements?

Let us know what you think on our facebook page.

Source:

Nutraingredients

If you’re like many health conscious consumers, you take supplements to help meet your health and wellness goals. But did you know that your best intentions—and hard earned cash—can go out the window if your supplements aren’t stored properly?

A recent study of the effects of heat and humidity on green tea underscores the importance of storing your supplements in a cool, dry place. The researchers from Purdue University discovered that the beneficial compounds in green tea called catechins that provide its antioxidant benefits aren't as stable as once thought.

More than 1,800 samples were stored at varying temperature and humidity combinations for up to 16 weeks and then measured for catechin loss. Those at the highest temperatures and humidities lost the most catechins.

This type of research, called stability testing, is commonplace in the food and beverage and dietary supplement industries as it is important to know the optimal storage temperature for each ingredient and finished product. Stability testing usually goes up to about 104 degrees and 85% humidity but may be higher. At high temperatures, active compounds within a substance can begin to interact with each other, leading to significant chemical degradation—and often, loss of health benefits.

To be sure your supplements maintain potency, look on the label for specific product storage recommendations or follow these general guidelines for supplement storage:

• Store supplements in a cool, dark place away from heat, humidity and direct sunlight.
• Do not store supplements (or prescription drugs) in the bathroom.
• If you store supplements in the kitchen, place them in a cabinet with solid doors (no glass fronts) out of direct sunlight. This cabinet should not be located next to a heat source such as a dishwasher or other heat/humidity-producing appliance such as a washing machine or clothes dryer.
• Many capsules containing oils such as fish oil can be stored in the refrigerator to help preserve freshness. In the case of fish oil, this can also help minimize “fish burps.”
• If you are a frequent traveler, pack your supplements or prescription drugs in your carry-on bag.
• Once opened, close the lid tightly and keep desiccant (if supplied) in the bottle until it is empty.

How CNCA Ensures Potency in its Supplements

• At CNCA, we test raw ingredients for potency before they are encapsulated, processed, or packaged. This is how we ensure that the amount of active ingredient(s) promised on the label is actually in the product. Each serving of CNCA Green Tea Extract is guaranteed to deliver 80% catechins of which 40-50% are EGCG and 30-40% are other catechin compounds. Raw ingredients are rejected if they do not meet these levels of catechins in the finished product.
• We also safely increase the potency of the finished product to allow for some loss of potency during its shelf life. This means that CNCA supplements still meet the potency stated on the label through the expiration date, if stored properly.
• Once packaged, CNCA bottles are then sealed to protect against humidity and oxygen until opened. We also use opaque or brown glass containers to reduce exposure to light, which can also cause some degradation.

To discover more “need to know” facts about supplement quality and regulation, please visit this candid look at the supplement industry by CNCA’s Quality Assurance Board.  

Source:

Purdue University