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Episode Transcript
Welcome to Food Safety in a Minute.
Did you know thirty to sixty-eight percent of teens consume energy drinks regularly? Considered dietary supplements, energy drinks are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Marketed as mental and physical enhancers, teens may use them to compensate for lack of sleep and athletic performance. They often contain carbonated water, sugar, and lots of caffeine.
The Academy of Pediatrics recommends teens consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine daily, comparable to an 8-ounce cup of coffee. One energy drink may have 160 mg of caffeine or more. Excessive caffeine may lead to higher blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and caffeine toxicity. With school starting, talk with your teens and your pediatrician about energy drinks.
From Washington State University Extension, I’m Susie Craig.
Resources
Jargon, Julie. The Wall Street Journal. August 17, 2024. Teens’ Energy-Drink Habit is Amping Anxiety, Disrupting Class, and Triggering Seizures.
Miller, Kathleen. K. Dermen, and J. Lucke. National Center for Biotechnology Information – National Library of Medicine. Caffeinated Energy Drunk Use by U.S. Adolescents Aged 13-17