Tachycardia, nausea, convulsions Energy drinks damage your health significantly

Energy drinks cause health problems for every second adolescent

According to a recent study, the consumption of energy drinks in more than one in two adolescents leads to health problems such as palpitations, nausea or even convulsions. According to study authors, more should be done to limit consumption among children and teenagers.

Drinks full of sugar

Energy drinks have been growing in popularity for years. The promised "energy kick" is due to the ingredients caffeine and sugar. A single can can contain up to 13 sugar cubes. Both ingredients are dangerous in larger quantities, especially for teenagers. Every sip of the sugary drinks damages the teeth and a high caffeine consumption represents a risk for the heart. That these drinks damage the health of young people, is also shown in a recent study by Canadian scientists.

The consumption of energy drinks leads to more than one in two adolescents to health problems such as palpitations, nausea or even convulsions. This has been shown in a recent study. (Image: beermedia.de/fotolia.com)

Negative health effects

More than half of Canadian adolescents and young adults who have consumed energy drinks have had adverse health effects, according to the University of Waterloo (Canada) medical researchers.

The survey, published in the journal CMAJ Open, surveyed more than 2,000 young Canadians aged 12 to 24 years.

55.4 percent of respondents reported health complaints such as palpitations, nausea and, in rare cases, convulsions.

Sleep disorders, diarrhea and chest pain were also mentioned.

Certain groups of people should in principle abstain from energy drinks

"The number of health effects observed in our study suggests that more should be done to limit the intake of children and adolescents," study author David Hammond said in a statement.

"At the moment, there are no restrictions on children buying energy drinks," said the professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Waterloo.

However, there are currently thoughts in Canada prohibiting advertising of energy drinks for children and issuing warnings not to consume such drinks in sport.

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has also stated in an earlier communication that there are indications that "the simultaneous consumption of energy drinks and higher amounts of alcohol and / or extensive physical activity increase the risk of negative health effects".

"Certain consumer groups, such as children, pregnant women, breastfeeding and caffeine-sensitive persons, should refrain from consuming such energy drinks," it continues.

In Germany there is a lot of discussion about a possible ban on energy drinks. (Ad)