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Younger and younger people are reaching for energy drinks, even children in primary schools. Not only that - drinks of this type are generally available in many school shops. And doctors are sounding the alarm: young people who consume energy drinks may not live to be sixty years old!
Energy drinks , just like alcohol or cigarettes are not suitable for young people, especiallychildren- such opinion was given by scientists from the University Miami. A great reaction was also caused by the words of cardiologists that young people who regularly support themselves with energizers may not reach the age of 60. It did not take long: the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate began efforts to clearly indicate on the labels of beverages that they are not recommended for children under 12-13 years of age.
When reaching for them, even adults are often unaware of the he alth consequences of drinking psychodrinks. These products eliminate the feeling of fatigue and weariness (for a short time), have a stimulating effect, but also - overdosed - may cause anxiety, hyperactivity, headaches, and heart arrhythmia. Meanwhile, among young people, there is a fashion to support themselves with energetics during their studies, before class tests and tests. More and more young people also combineenergy drinkswith alcohol or cola drinks, which increases their negative he alth effects.
What do energy drinks contain?
The main components of energy supplements are caffeine and taurine. The other ingredients are carbon dioxide, small amounts of vitamins, mainly B vitamins, small amounts of fat and protein. Caffeine is a chemical compound that acts on the central nervous system, improves mood and temporarily concentration, stimulates the cerebral cortex. It also increases the demand for oxygen and the secretion of adrenaline. Taurine, in turn, accelerates muscle regeneration after exercise, supporting oxidation processes. During exercise, it reduces the excretion of serotonin, thanks to which the body does not feel the burden of this effort and can work longer.
- Caffeine in normal doses has a stimulating effect on the body by increasing the heart rate, increasing blood pressure and dilating the blood vessels of the brain. The refreshing effect lasts for several minutes. Taken in small doses, it has no adverse effects on the body, says the drug. med. Anna Senderska, from the Enel Medical CenterMed. - The other ingredients of energy drinks are sugar, as well as the amino acid taurine, glucuronolactone and vitamins. The action of these ingredients is imperceptible to the drinker. You need to know that vitamins do not have to be supplemented artificially, because they are in sufficient quantity with food. I have the impression that these ingredients are there so that marketers can praise the drink for its he alth-promoting properties.
Caffeine also has a worse face, especially when overdosed. So far, cases of caffeine overdose have not been common - in our culture, you don't drink more than 2-3 coffees a day and side effects start to appear after drinking 4 to 6 cups of coffee, depending on individual sensitivity and the degree of habit. Besides, coffee naturally does not appeal to children due to its bitter taste, so cases of children's caffeine poisoning were really rare.
You have to educate your parents!
The Chief Inspector asked several scientific institutions to assess the possible harmfulness of energy drinks for children and adolescents, because the assessments so far concerned only adults.
We want to change the way of labeling (more expressive warning notices) and a broad campaign to make people aware that energy drinks are not orangeade. We would like to reach out to parents with the information that energy drinks are absolutely not intended for children. They are the so-called foodstuffs for special purposes - so by definition intended for adults for occasional consumption.
GIS also appealed to producer organizations to place clear information on the packaging, and this speech was very well received. It is therefore very possible that all major manufacturers will introduce an increased scope of consumer information on a voluntary basis.
Effects of kids drinking energy drinks
- The situation changed dramatically after the introduction of energy drinks to the market. They stand on the shelves in eye-catching packages with positive connotations - vitamin energy, etc. Besides, they are tasty, similar to orangeade, and contain the same amount of caffeine as coffee, and they work in the same way. The availability of larger liter packages suggests that you can drink more of them, and drinking two of these bottles is a he alth problem for an adult, not to mention children, says the drug. med. Anna Senderska. - A dose above 500 mg (i.e. 1.5 liters of the drink thatcontains about 30 mg of caffeine in 100 ml) causes side effects such as psychomotor agitation, nausea, vomiting, weakness, increased heartbeat, cardiac arrhythmia, convulsions, paralysis of the respiratory center. There have been cases of death after overdosing these drinks, most often in the course of ventricular fibrillation.
In addition, caffeine stimulates the secretion of gastric juice and increases insulin resistance. Doctors are registering an increasing number of children with diabetes, most likely caused by an inadequate diet and drinking energy drinks and sweet, carbonated drinks. For children under 16 years of age, this dose is obviously lower, the metabolism of active substances takes longer than in an adult, so the concentration of caffeine in this case accumulates.
For whom energy drinks are not recommended
Energy drinks are absolutely not recommended for children under 16 years of age, people with diabetes, suffering from cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension and patients with epilepsy, people with gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease. Pregnant women should not exceed 200 mg / day. So who can drink energy drinks? Adults, in emergency situations requiring concentration or refreshment, e.g. the driver - but remembering about reasonable amounts: a can, yes, but not two or three.