WHO warns about energy drinks

Too much caffeine in energy drinks

17/10/2014

Sales of energy drinks are booming. According to a study by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide sales of stimulant beverages increased by 60 percent between 2008 and 2012. With increasing consumption of energy drinks, researchers warn of the health risks of caffeine and sugar-containing beverages. Especially in connection with alcohol, the „stimulant“ According to the study, cause significant damage to health.

High caffeine content in energy drinks is harmful to your health
„With increasing consumption and a growing number of reported cases of adverse health effects associated with consuming energy drinks, concerns about the health effects of these products have increased, both among scientists and the public“, the researchers write in their study.

For their study, a review, WHO researchers evaluated existing data. Accordingly, especially the caffeine content of energy drinks is harmful to health. For example, a caffeine overdose is associated with high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, convulsions, nausea, and vomiting-in the worst case, death. According to the researchers, in adolescents who are particularly fond of energy drinks, the consumption of beverages is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and arterial hypertension. Due to the high caffeine consumption, the cells would be less sensitive to insulin. As a result, the sugar is transported worse in the cells, so that a high blood sugar level is formed. Energy drinks can also have a particularly dramatic effect on pregnant women. „High-caffeine consumption increases the risk of late miscarriages for women of mixed blood“, states in the study.

Although coffee can generally have a high caffeine content, but this is usually hot and therefore drunk slower, so the researchers. In addition, new energy drink brands with extremely high caffeine levels are now available. Caffeine can affect the brain and the cardiovascular system in children and adolescents and also make them physically dependent.

The high sugar content of the drinks also leads to an increased risk of obesity. In addition, tooth damage would be due to the combination of acid and sugar, the researchers write.

Energy drinks in combination with alcohol pose a high health risk
The experts are particularly critical of the combination of energy drinks and alcohol. „A study by US college students shows that those who reported combining energy drinks with alcohol are more likely to experience the negative effects of drinking as compared to those who only drink alcohol“, the researchers write. „Consuming high levels of caffeine in energy drinks reduces fatigue without reducing the effects of alcohol, resulting in a state of 'wide-awake drunkenness' so that the consumer stays awake longer and can continue drinking.“

Even if energy drinks are not consumed with alcohol, they could increase the risk of alcohol dependence, according to the study. One hypothesis is that certain effects of caffeine on the brain may promote addictive behavior.

Less known is the effect of caffeine and taurine, which is also included in energy drinks. Here, further studies on the long-term effect should follow, the researchers said.

Even among athletes enjoy Engery drinks are becoming increasingly popular. However, the researchers explicitly warn against physical activity and consumption of caffeinated drinks. For example, a 28-year-old American who drank three cans of energy drinks five hours before a basketball match collapsed unconscious after half an hour on the pitch. He suffered a cardiac arrest and died three days later from the consequences. Although no clear connection between the death and the energy drinks could be established, the researchers nevertheless demand further investigations. (Ag)