Energy drinks can cause caffeine intoxication

Energy drinks have been popular for years, and the market keeps expanding. Some people drink them like they would soda -- during breakfast, lunch, dinner and as snacks. But there is such a thing as too much energy. A study published today in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence delivers a stern warning about the possibility of caffeine intoxication from energy drinks.

"The caffeine content of energy drinks varies over a 10-fold range, with some containing the equivalent of 14 cans of Coca-Cola, yet the caffeine amounts are unlabeled and few include warnings about potential health risks of caffeine intoxication," said one of the study's authors, Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

A regular 12-ounce cola drink has about 35 milligrams of caffeine. A 6-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine. The Food and Drug Administration imposes limits on how much caffeine food products can contain (71 milligrams for each 12-ounce can). But energy drinks are designated as dietary supplements, not food products. Thus, manufacturers of energy drinks can load their products with caffeine. Moreover, says Chad Reissig, another of the study's authors: "It's notable that over-the-counter caffeine-containing products require warning labels, yet energy drinks do not."

Caffeine intoxication is a recognized clinical syndrome. It is described as nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, rapid heartbeat, restlessness and pacing. In rare cases, caffeine intoxication can cause death. See this Mayo Clinic report on caffeine side effects and this L.A. Times story on energy drinks that was written by a doctor.

The authors of the study have called for labeling on energy drinks to inform consumers of what they are getting. Advertising for energy drinks is aimed at teens and young adults and promotes the drinks as performance enhancers. Recently, however, some manufacturers have applied a harder edge to their marketing. One product is named Cocaine, and another product, a powdered energy drink sold in a vial, is named Blow. The makers of both products have received warning letters from the FDA about misleading advertising.

But occasional hand-slaps from the FDA are not enough. Besides caffeine intoxication, the use of energy drinks along with alcohol can be dangerous, the Johns Hopkins researchers say. A recent survey found that 27% of college students said they had mixed energy drinks and alcohol at least once a month. There is even some evidence, says Griffiths, that energy drinks may serve as a "gateway" product leading to more serious drug abuse.

- Shari Roan

Photo credit: PR NewsFolo/Rexam

Comments

[Bri]

Wow! It takes 5000 milligrams of caffeine to even be dangerous to a human. Causing death...Highly unlikely. Sounds like this reporter is a hypochondriac. Energy drinks being a gateway drug. Come on lets get real here. If the FDA is sending out warnings for suggestive labels they should send a warning to the makers of the beverage COKE. How did Coca Cola get its name again...

[billy bob]

stop writing stupid articles like this

[Larry]

The few accounts I've heard of caffeine overdoses really really suck. It doesn't have to be any where near a lethal dose to suck really badly. On par with a bad acid trip including hallucinations, the sheer physical misery makes it unlikely someone can be talked down into having a good trip.

[Mastermind]

Bah, I drink a minimum of 12 cups of home brewed, extra strong, coffee everyday. Sometimes more. I also happen to eat a lot of sugary snacks. I've never needed an energy drink but I'm sure not afraid of them or of getting to much ccaffeine.

The info about caffeine being a gateway drug is actually quite old and another generally recognized gateway drug is sugar. I'm addicted to both.

I suspect the larger the jolts of caffeine the bigger the addiction is. Now it's more like selling cigs to kids as they get addicted to the caffeine and just keep buying the high priced energy drinks.

Wasn't that a great marketing plan?

[steve1111]

This is ridiculous. How can an energy drink be a gateway drug? What, you need more so you go back to the gas station and ask for the next best thing? It was a waste of my time to read this. I don't even know why I am commenting. I am going to ask Google News to not post latimesblogs on their site anymore. That's how stupid this article is.

[Anon]

Bet the author also thinks salvia is like LSD....

[Paul]

I have worked in the nutrition and food technology profession for more than 25 years and I am considered an expert in the field. Many of these so-called "energy" drinks not only contain high levels of caffeine, but also a plethora of ingredients that are technically classified as dietary supplements such as vitamins, herbal extracts and synthesized singular amino acids. Many of these ingredients now come from China and have never been tested for their interaction with caffeine or the numerous compounds commonly used in soft drinks such as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) sweetener, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, colorings etc. The FDA provides no means for pre-approval of these "energy" drinks and the formulations are highly questionable in my humble opinion. I have spoken with many people who have experienced odd side effects while using these products. There is no such thing as free "energy". If you can avoid these products, please do.

[Stang96]

Are you serious???? A gateway drug??? "Wow, this red bull is great, maybe I should try a Jager Bomb!!!!!"

[c]

For those who actually care to read the original article...

Reissig, C.J., et al., Caffeinated energy drinks—A growing problem. Drug Alcohol Depend (2008)

[R Tray]

Wow, if you think that excessive caffeine isn't bad for you, then you're probably beyond hope. Let's see - it makes your heartbeat artificially faster normal. Think about it. It's the new nicotine.

[Matt - Pharm Student]

Hold on... I'm laughing so hard I can barely type. Gosh, you know that the news has to be pretty lame, once people start calling caffeine a gateway drug. Hahahahahaha!

[Venu Taya]

Everything in excess is bad, samething with caffinated drinks....

[pudentane]

Is food a gateway drug to obesity?

[Chris Brown]

Take away Our Caffeine? What's Next? Even Mom would let us drink coffie! I quit caffeine once for 3mo.--needless to say, I was not a happy camper, wakeing up each morning was harder than it use to be (not that it was easy before) Also, time in the throne room took longer each morning! I was missrable! Who is it that plots what can be done to make people more missrable? They really hit the nail on the head this time! COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELF!!! I'm having a hot cup of joe! And just maybe an energy drink too! GOT IT!!!

[Freon]

Breathing excessive quantities of air (hyperventilating) causes dizziness and loss of motor control due to the oxygen causing CO2-depletion intoxication. Shockingly, the quantity of oxygen in the air is not controlled by our government. Hyperventilation may also be a "gateway" activity, leading to sniffing of sweatsocks and bicycle seats.

[Bill]

Many years ago, an acquaintance of mine said that he and his druggie friends in college had tried smoking caffeine, figuring that just as other drugs like coca have qualitatively different effects when you eat the raw leaf or ingest the refined powder or smoke the refined powder. You Do Not Want To Try This At Home - he said all of the bad effects of caffeine intoxication hit very quickly, and it was Not Fun At All.

Meanwhile, who drinks little 6-ounce cups of coffee except at tea parties when you've got the fancy china out? Most of my coffee mugs are 10-12 oz, and when I'm at a coffee shop or convenience store I'm usually getting 16-20 oz (though often that's 2-3 shots of espresso and the rest milk.)

[CMK]

My wife refers to these drinks as "Liquid Crack" and I am addicted. They have replaced my coffee habit.

[sarah]

I knew a guy who was an active meth addict who would drink sparks(an energy drink+malt liquor) or red bull when he didn't have any meth.

[sarah]

I knew a guy who was an active meth addict who would drink sparks(an energy drink+malt liquor) or red bull when he didn't have any meth.

[Curly]

It is unwise to hype warnings. If it is true then something needs to be done about it. If not it should not be printed. It is like the little boy who hollered wolf to many times. When there was a wolf the villagers did not come because they they thought it was just another hoax!

[donsmith7777]

I believe every word.

Just try a couple of those "energy drinks" yourself, and I mean 2... prepare for bad things to happen.

Pure caffeine, that can't be good on a growing body.

Another problem that industry could care less about is how so many young people are blowing out there hearing, at a very early age, with WAY, WAY too much volume whithe there mp3 player earbuds.

I belong to a gym and it IS Crazy how loud they have the volume.

Our government gives squat about our American youth's health.

[Lee Larson]

I HAVEN'T HAD ANY CAFFEINE SINCE JANUARY OF 1996. THE DOCTORS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM LOOKED AT MY HEART RATE OF 180 (IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 70) AND TOLD ME THAT A SIX-PACK OF COKE A DAY WAS TABOO. I'VE BEEN AS SOLID AS A ROCK EVER SINCE THE DAY I STOPPED DRINKING ANYTHING WITH CAFFEINE IN IT.

[Steve]

I cant see why anyone is upset over this article. Caffeine can be dangerous to our bodies in high doses. Also the gateway comment has been taken way out of context. All she is saying is that, If kids think doing "blow" is cool, it will make it that much easier for them to give in when the time comes.
"I quit caffeine once for 3mo.--needless to say, I was not a happy camper... I was missrable!"

That is because you're addicted;)

[matt]

I know energy drinks are not always healthy, but a gateway? Well, I guess thats why every time I drink one I itch for some blow...

[Rania]

I'm so telling my brother about this article. My brother drinks these things like there's no tommorow.

My brother does have trouble sleeping at night and he had stomach problems for over a year now. I believe now that his energy drinking might be the cause of his health problems