What Does An Energy Drink Contain That Makes Adults Concerned For Children?

Consumption of energy drinks by young people is on the rise. Specialist Paediatric Eating Disorder Dietitian, Annabel Gipp, looks at the possible reasons for this and the associated furnishings on adolescent health.

Energy drinks announced frequently in headlines and news stories, mostly in a negative light. A Google search reveals some of these headlines such as 'The life threatening impacts of energy drinks' and 'Teen dies after I can of energy drink'. However, these drinks are becoming increasingly popular with young people. So are these products really that dangerous? And if they are, why are they so widely available to young people?

What are free energy drinks?

An energy beverage derives its free energy from glucose but can too include added ingredients to assistance 'heave energy' including caffeine, taurine and ginseng and typically comprise a minimum of 150mg/L of caffeine (1,2 run into references under this commodity). 'Zero' or 'Diet' versions of energy drinks are as well available, using sweeteners to reduce the calorie content, merely maintaining high levels of caffeine and other stimulants. In 2014, Red Bull was the most popular energy drinkable occupying 25% of the market value, followed by own-brand products at 12%, Monster at ten% and Relentless at 5% (3).

Energy drinks are marketed to amend concentration and to reduce tiredness, through providing energy, caffeine, and other ingredients which aid with fatigue or with energy metabolism, including vitamins and flavourings.

Consumption

Whilst the overall consumption of soft drinks has fallen in recent years, energy drinks accept increased consistently since 2006, with a 155% increase in sales. This equates to 600 meg litres sold in 2014 and those anile 10-14 years are expected to increment consumption by 11% from 2014-2019 (2). In the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, increased energy beverage consumption can be linked with being male, an older adolescent, having special educational needs and being eligible for gratuitous school meals (4).

A systematic review also concluded that males are more likely to eat college amounts of energy drinks than girls, while girls who skip breakfast are more than likely to and so rely on energy drinks later in the twenty-four hour period. In improver, if a child is either underweight or obese, they are more than likely to consume energy drinks (v).

The mounting torso of evidence demonstrates that the consumption of energy drinks is detrimental to both the physical and mental wellbeing of young people, as well as encouraging other risky behaviours such as alcohol utilise

Physical furnishings of high enery drink intake

Physical effects from over-consumption of energy drinks are generally related to caffeine. Increased caffeine consumption in children and adolescents results in increased blood pressure level, slumber disturbances, headaches and stomach aches. Selfreported injury due to hyperactivity has also been reported.

Adolescence is also the fourth dimension of maximum bone deposition and caffeine interferes with the absorption of calcium in the small intestine and so may lead to reduced calcium deposition in bones. This may also be as a result of energy drinks being consumed instead of calcium-containing drinks such as milk (six).

There take also been reported differences seen to ECG traces for adults after energy drink consumption. Whilst caffeine has been found to have no ill effects on cardiac output, ane study from the American Heart Clan found that consumption of energy drinks showed a significant prolongation of the QTc interval in adults. This elongation of the QTc interval tin can be a sign of increased hazard for fatal arrhythmias, and for individuals who may have underlying cardiac problems, this may be unsafe (7).

Mental effects

In addition to physical effects, mental wellness effects due to consumption of free energy drinks can include awareness-seeking behaviour, self-destructive behaviour, insomnia, problems with behavioural regulation and poor lifestyle behaviours, such as poor diet and consumption of fast nutrient. The use of energy drinks in adolescents may also be affecting future food and drinks
choices in young people due to alterations in the developing reward and addiction eye of the encephalon and the addiction due to the high caffeine content (6,8).

The consumption of free energy drinks in young people is also linked with the consumption of alcohol due to their use as mixers for spirits. 1 study constitute young people used the free energy drinks every bit a 'option me upwards' and it made parties more 'fun' (ix). The EFSA institute that in adolescents, 53% of energy drinks are consumed with alcohol. Those who consumed free energy drinks mixed with alcohol were more likely to report binge-drinking behaviours, illicit drug use, and drink driving (10).

Energy drinks are also potentially playing a role in the obesity crisis and as a tool to help go on weight low in young people with eating disorders. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is linked with diabetes, dental decay and increased BMI in immature people (11). In improver, a link between free energy drinkable use and sedentary behaviour has been noted (12). Conversely, for the eating disorder population, depression saccharide versions of energy drinks may form a style of boosting free energy through caffeine and stimulants plus promote loose stools and supress appetite. Immature people with eating disorders are at a higher gamble of cardiac arrhythmias due to their low weight, so the apply of these products may be particularly worrying (6).

Whilst the detrimental effects of energy drinks are clearly wide-reaching, at that place has been relatively low numbers of toxicity reported in emergency departments. Data collected from the Australian NSW Toxicant Information Centre logged 297 calls over a seven twelvemonth menses relating to energy drink consumption in young people, increasing from 12 in 2004 to 65 in 2010. Symptoms ranged from gastrointestinal upset and hyperactivity to hallucinations, seizures and cardiac ischaemia. 128 people required hospitalisation in this study (thirteen). There appears to be little information collected on this topic past the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland-based poison centres, although this data is routinely collected in Australia and the The states, hence the need to extrapolate Australian data.

Why do immature people consume these drinks?

The reason that young people choose free energy drinks is hard to pinpoint. Advertizement and brand loyalty play a large role in the want to consume these products and young people report that they run across these products being advertised on telly, on the internet, through sports sponsorships, video games and in shops, despite pledges from advertisers to reduce this (5). Taste and the need for an 'energy heave' may too be a reason to swallow free energy drinks. Parental consumption seems to too exist a commuter for adolescent use.

In that location is no current limitation on the sale of these products to young people. The British Soft Drinks Association says that high-caffeine products are not recommended for immature people, although this is not currently backed past law similar tobacco or alcohol in the UK. Countries such equally Sweden and Lithuania have bans in place for the sale of high-caffeine drinks to under 18s. Other countries introduced a tax on these high-caffeine products which reported to reduce consumption, and generated income for 'Get Good for you' programmmes (1).

With the government expecting to innovate a levy on products with more than the 5g and 8g of saccharide per 100ml in 2018, information technology is predicted that the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages volition fall (fourteen). However, it is non clear what effect this might accept on energy drink consumption, although, it is reported that young people exercise already notice energy drinks expensive (5).

What should nutrition professionals exist advising?

This leaves the question of – what is our responsibility as health professionals? The British Medical Journal states that health professionals should exist advising and educating patients, the public and industry on the potential harmful furnishings of energy drinks, specially when being mixed with alcohol (8). Seifert et al become further to say that the use of energy drinks should be included in standard health screening for young people, especially in at-risk populations such as those with high-chance behaviours and sure health conditions e.k. heart bug, anorexia nervosa or anxiety (6).

Every bit nutritional professionals, it may fall to dietitians and our skills in nutritional education and communication to educate that free energy drink consumption, at present, appears to have more negative than positive outcomes (15). Due to the heterogeneity of the products that are currently bachelor on the market, it is very difficult to suggest which products may be safer than others, indicating that free energy drinks should potentially be avoided altogether in preference for other options such every bit fruit juice, water or milk for young people (eight).

Making educated choices

The mounting body of evidence demonstrates that the consumption of energy drinks is detrimental to both the concrete and mental wellbeing of young people, too as encouraging other risky behaviours such every bit booze utilise.

In that location is currently little legislation restricting the sale of these products to young people, and understanding about their effects is minimal. Equally healthcare professionals, it is our duty to ensure that show-based data and education is available to allow parents and young people to brand educated choices regarding energy drinks.

More information

In relation to this commodity you may notice the following BDA policy statement useful, Interventions which reduce the consumption of free energy from sugary drinks in children (January 2015).

References:

1. Visram, Due south. & Hashem, Grand. Energy drinks: what's the show? (2016) Food Research Collaboration Policy Brief

2. British Soft Drinks Association. Leading the Way. Annual Report2016 (2016). London

3. Mintel. Sports and Energy Beverage- Britain- July 2014 (2014) Mintel Group Ltd. London

4. Richards, 1000. & Smith, A.P. Breakfast and energy drink consumption: breakfast omission in isolation or in combination with frequent energy drink use, is associated with stress, feet and low cantankerous-sectionally, simply not at 6-month follow upwards. (2016 Front Psychol; vii:106

five. Visram, S. et al. Consumption of free energy drinks past children and young people: a rapid review examining prove of physical effects and consumer attitudes. (2016). BMJ Open up; 6: e010380

6. Seifert, Due south. M. et al. Health effects of energy dinks on children, adolescents and young adults. (2011).
Paediatrics; 127: 511-528

7. Fletcher, Eastward. A. et al. Randomised controlled trial of high-volume free energy beverage versus caffeine consumption on ECG and hemodynamic parameters. (2017) J
Am Centre Assoc; half-dozen: e004448

8. Arria, A. M. & O'Brien, Chiliad. C. The "high" chance of free energy drinks. (2011) JAMA; 305: 600-601

nine. Jones, South. C. 'You wouldn't know it had alcohol in it until you read the can': adolescents and alcohol-energy drinks. (2011) Australas Marketplace J; 19: 189-95

ten. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific opinion on the condom of caffeine. (2015). EFSA Journal; xiii: 4102

eleven. SACN. Carbohydrates and Wellness (2015) London

12. Al-Hazzaa, H. K. et al. Clan of dietary habits with levels of physical activity and screen time amid adolescents living in Saudi Arabia. (2014) J Hum Nutr Nutrition; 27: 204-213

13. Gunja, N & Brown J. A. Energy drinks: health risks and toxicity (2012) MJA; 196: 46-49

14. Oxford Economics. The economic impact of the soft drinks levy. (2016) Oxford

15. Schneider, M. B. & Benjamin, H. J. Sports drinks and free energy drinks for children and adolescents: are they appropriate? (2011) Paediatrics;
127: 1182-1189

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Source: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/energy-drinks-and-young-people.html

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