Energy drinks increasingly contain caffeine

In the shop The already very heyday of energy drinks, which continues to show growth trends, seems to have generated a kind of dangerous competition: increasing the amount of caffeine to concentrations that can pose a very serious health risk, especially for the smallest. This is the case in the United States, where pediatric associations are formally asking the government to ban the sale to minors of some of the newest products on the market that contain a can of caffeine equal to six cans of coca-Tam. Then the American Medical Association, in addition to asking to ban advertising to minors, asks manufacturers to implement safety systems to prevent children from drinking from cans, perhaps even finding them only at home, because the arrhythmias that these drinks cause in them can cause deaths in several countries among children and young people who did not know they had a heart disease and suffered fatal fibrillation. In the United States alone, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there have been 34 deaths since 2004.

Tell alarms are Reuters, which lists some of the drinks released in recent months, almost always with the help of well-known personalities in the social media world and influencers. Among them is the Prime Energy product, launched by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, which contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per 350 ml, i.e. a concentration exceeding the limits set in Canada, New Zealand and Australia, which are under FDA investigation for precisely a very large amount. caffeine. Then there’s Ghost and Kim Kardashian’s Kimade, both contain the same amount of caffeine as Prime Energy. Rival caffeine brand Monster Energy contains “only” 150 milligrams, a value that is still a concern and exceeds the limit set for the 12-18 age group of 100 milligrams a day.

How did they remember As pediatric associations have repeatedly stated, there is no safe amount of caffeine for children, but energy drink manufacturers continue to create jars and packaging that seem to be designed specifically to attract the attention of children and teenagers, with bright colors and captivating lettering. After all, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest, companies spend an average of $2 billion a year on ads targeted at children. And since there are no restrictions on sales and advertising, no one can prohibit their use even by children and young children. In the US, there are very few large retail chains that have decided to impose some kind of restrictions or place these products in special places, where they sometimes write that they are not recommended for children. But everything is left to the will of man, as is the case in Europe, where only Latvia and Lithuania have introduced specific bans.

© All rights reserved Photo: Depositphotos, Ghost

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September 4, 2023