Stories about the dangers to kids of Energy Drinks seem to be surfacing all too regularly. The latest? Calls to poison control centres in the US about kids consuming the caffeine-spiked beverages shot up by 20 percent in 2023. What’s going on?
America’s Poison Centers (APC) accredits and represents 55 poison control centers across the US. Their report on 2023 operations shows calls to poison control lines about kids consuming so-called energy drinks spiked by 20 percent last year.
Key findings
The APC report offers some shocking statistics among it’s key findings:
- Children’s exposure to energy drinks rose from 2,323 in 2022 to 2,834 cases in 2023.
- About 48 percent of cases in young kids were unintentional.
- The rate of cases among kids between the ages of 6 and 12 nearly doubled.
Widespread concern
That raised a lot of eyebrows. And some folks are asking why we’re still dealing with this already well-known issue.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and [US] Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not re-commend children or teens consume any energy drinks because of the high risk of caffeine-related complications,” ABC News notes.
Yet the makers of brands with kid-enticing names such as such as Monster, Red Bull and Rock Star continue to advertise their products with a ‘cool’ lifestyle vibe.
The root of the problem
The root of the problem is clear. Kids are – in many cases, unknowingly – endangering themselves by using products intended for adults.
For example, Many energy drinks contain the maximum ‘dose’ (or close to it) of caffeine the regula-tory agencies say is safe. That’s 400 mg of the stimulant – about the same as 3 or 4 regular cups of coffee. I can’t speak for anybody but myself – but 4 cups of coffee would have me bouncing off the walls and exploding at the slightest ‘imperfection’ that might arise in my daily doings. And that’s the same as just one can of ‘energy’ drink.
But that’s not all…
Another problem is, the beverages don’t really provide energy. You get energy from Calories, and much of that – at least the kind your system can access quickly, for a boost – comes from sugars.
Caffeine is a chemical stimulant, like nicotine or cocaine. Following a big ‘hit’ of it, such as you get form a standard serving of an energy drink, you’re bound to have a physical and emotional crash. You can, in fact, become addicted.
Dire consequences
“Multiple signs may indicate a caffeine overdose or poisoning including, but not limited to, an in-creased heart rate, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, nausea or anxiousness,” the ABC report says. “Children with caffeine poisoning may also experience rapid breathing or tremors.
“In severe cases, too much caffeine can lead to seizures or cardiac arrest.”
‘Unintentional’
The APC finding that nearly half of all energy-drink emergencies involving kids are ‘unintentional’ tells me two things. First the kids think energy drinks are okay for them. The second is, they don’t really comprehend the dangers the beverages pose.
Taken together, these factors suggest kids aren’t competent to make safe, healthy decisions about their own consumption of energy drinks. Added to their susceptibility to lifestyle advertising showing folks having a great time, it’s no wonder so many kids are ‘overdosing’.
My take
Energy drinks clearly need to be regulated, like caffeine, tobacco and alcohol are already, with re-strictions on purchases and a minimum age for consumption.
A 20 percent increase in kid-related energy drink emergencies in just one year should be evidence stark enough that no one could ignore it…
~ Maggie J.