Warning of hazardous energy drinks

Consumer Center warns of energy drinks and calls for a ban on sales for consumers under the age of 18

10/30/2012

Excessive consumption of energy drinks has probably led to the death of five people in the US, according to recent media reports. The consumer center Hamburg therefore called in a recent press release "the general ban on the sale of high-dose energy concentrates" and the restriction of the sale of ordinary energy drinks to persons over the age of 18 years.

According to the latest reports from the US on the death of a 14-year-old girl, who probably died as a result of the consumption of two 0.7-liter cans of a highly concentrated energy drink, the Hamburg Consumer Center said that "also from Germany cases undesirable effects on the cardiovascular system after excessive consumption of energy drinks are known. At 320 milligrams per liter, these beverages have approximately three times the caffeine content of cola and also contain "ingredients such as taurine, in which negative interactions can not be reliably ruled out," according to the Consumer Information Center. Consumer advocates see a danger in energy drinks, especially for children and adolescents, and therefore demand a ban on selling to persons under the age of 18.

Five deaths from energy drinks?
In the US, reports of five deaths and a heart attack following excessive energy drink consumption caused quite a stir last week. A 14-year-old girl is said to have died after two 0.7-liter doses of the energy drink of the brand "Monster" as a result of a caffeine poisoning. The caffeine had evidently triggered severe cardiac arrhythmias that led to cardiac arrest. The parents have filed suit against the manufacturer of the energy drink and the US Food and Drug Administration is also investigating the remaining suspicious cases. Whether the consumption of the "Monster" energy drink is actually the cause of the deaths, the US authorities could not yet clarify. However, according to previous information, the US Food and Drug Administration takes the incidents very seriously. Especially in the autopsy report of the deceased 14-year-old girl by the doctor a cardiac arrhythmia was recorded by poisoning with caffeine as the cause of death.

Children and adolescents must be protected
For the consumer center Hamburg, the latest news on the deaths in the United States is a reason to expressly warn against the health risks of energy drinks. "If the consumption of energy drinks associated with alcohol and physical exertion, such as in the disco, there is a risk that the side effects to seizures or palpitations increase," said the message from the Consumer Center. Although systematic meaningful long-term studies are still lacking, consumer advocates have no doubt about the health risks that energy drinks can pose. "Especially children and adolescents must be protected, since in the disco and in sports, there is a risk of excessive consumption," demanded the consumer center.

Energy shots as a nutritional supplement?
In addition to conventional energy drinks, according to the consumer advocates in Germany, especially so-called energy shots are a problem. These are "highly concentrated products in small portion sizes, which in the case of thirst tempted to drink several portions." Since the products are sold by the manufacturers not as soft drinks but as a dietary supplement, other legal requirements, which allow an increased caffeine concentration, are reported the consumer center Hamburg. For example, an energy shot from the manufacturer "Red Bull" contains 80 milligrams of caffeine per 60 milliliters, which is more than 1,300 milligrams per liter. "Other products can contain up to 6,000 milligrams per liter," the Consumer Center continues. Although energy shots sold as dietary supplements are labeled "one serving a day", they are often not respected by consumers. The energy drink "Monster" is also sold in the USA as a dietary supplement.

Consumer Center calls for a ban on the sale of energy drinks
The previous legal regulations for the labeling of energy drinks are in the opinion of the consumer center "completely insufficient". The legal requirement "increased caffeine content" and the indication of how much caffeine is present in 100 milliliters of beverage therefore do not clarify the health risk, which can originate from the drinks. It is true that from December 2014 the warning "Increased caffeine content. For children and pregnant women or breastfeeding women not recommended "to be recognizable on the energy drinks. However, in view of the incidents in the USA, the Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg demands more far-reaching regulations for the protection of children and adolescents. In their opinion, the energy shots should even be completely banned, as the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) also classifies these drinks as unsafe if used improperly. (Fp)

Also read:
Dangerous energy drinks with additives
Energy drinks can stress the heart and circulation
Consumer Center: Beware of energy drinks
Warning of high-dose energy drinks