Parents Talk to your Teens About the Dangers of Energy Drinks

With highly caffeinated energy drinks continuing to fly off stores shelves, physicians have raised serious concern over the consumption of such dangerous drinks, particularly those purchased and consumed by adolescents and children.

Best selling drinks contain about 80 milligrams of caffeine per 8 ounce serving but many products can contain up to 500 milligrams of caffeine which can cause dangerous side effects such as heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea and other complications which can be life threatening.

 FDA regulations prohibit caffeine contents over 71 milligrams per 12 ounce in soft beverages, but  fail to apply the same limits for energy drinks labeled as “dietary supplements”. Furthermore, manufacturers are exempt from listing caffeine content or all ingredients on the label, often using marketing terms such as "energy blend" or "proprietary blend” to boost their sales and elude FDA regulations.

Despite the controversy surrounding energy drinks and its consumption by athletes, many athletes confess to consuming energy drinks in order to increase their alertness and energy which ultimately enhances their performance. Many even equate energy drinks with coffee and strongly believe the use of popular energy drinks should not been outlawed or banned before athletic activity, as the active ingredient of most energy drinks is caffeine, a legal stimulant.

So with more and more energy drink manufacturers producing a wide variety of energy drinks, shots and dietary supplements in order to target vulnerable populations such as athletes, teens and children, parents need to monitor their children while discussing the dangers of popular energy drinks and supplements repeatedly advertised on TV.