Power Drinks Finite: Brain Performance Relationships - Term Paper Example

Running Head: Energy Drinks Containing High Caffeine Levels Should be Restricted to People above the Age of 18 Years Energy Drinks Containing High Caffeine Levels Should be Restricted to People above the Age of 18 Years Name Course Lecturer Date Abstract Energy drinks contain caffeine, vitamins, herbal supplements, sugar or sweeteners and taurine and are considered to improve weight loss, energy, stamina, concentration and athletic performance. The consumption of energy drinks in Australia, especially amid young people is on the increase. The consumption of energy drinks with high caffeine levels is associated with several health effects, especially among adolescents and children. This essay will discuss the various health effects resulting from high caffeine levels in energy drinks. It will argue that, energy drinks containing high caffeine levels should be restricted to people above the age of 18 years, due to its effects among adolescents and children. Introduction Energy drinks denote beverages containing caffeine, vitamins, herbal supplements, sugar or sweeteners and taurine. Such drinks are marketed for improving weight loss, energy, stamina, concentration and athletic performance. Fifty percent of the market for energy drinks comprise of young adults, adolescents and children (Seifert et al., 2011). According to Babu, Church, & Lewander (2008), although healthy individuals can tolerate moderate levels of caffeine, heavy consumption of caffeine such as through energy drinks, has had associations with severe consequences including seizures, stroke, mania, and unexpected death. Numerous reports in the media and several case reports found in literature associate such effects with the consumption of energy drinks. There is a growing trend in the consumption of energy drinks in Australia, especially amid young people. Data from the Poisons Information Centre in NSW indicates a growing trend of toxicity and misuse because of excessive energy drinks’ consumption (Gunja & Brown, 2012). This essay will discuss the health effects of energy drinks, including caffeine toxicity and associated effects, excessive alcohol consumption, increase in blood pressure, and sleep disturbances, withdrawal-symptom reversal, cardiac complication and decreased bone acquisition. Energy drinks with high caffeine levels should be restricted to people above the age of 18 years. Health effects of energy drinks containing caffeine Energy drinks may result in adverse health impacts and caffeine toxicity. According to Gunja & Brown (2012), the caffeine level in an ordinary 500ml energy drink bottle retailed in Australia may be as much as 300 mg; excessive consumption of energy drinks may cause caffeine toxicity as well as negative health effects, such as insomnia, headaches, nausea, nervousness and vomiting. Moreover, low caffeine level like 50 mg can induce agitation and tachycardia. In overdose, toxicity associated with caffeine can resemble poisoning from amphetamine and result in psychosis, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and possibly though rarely, death. A caffeine linked death was reported in 2009 from the consumption of energy drinks. Electrocardiograms indicated that the victim had severe myocardial ischemia probably resulting from caffeine-stimulated coronary vasospasm. From here, it is clear that, caffeine intake from energy drinks mainly causes adverse health impacts when consumed in excess, but there is possibility of health effects even from caffeine intake of 50 mg. Thus, caffeine has a great potential for causing health effects or even death. Energy drinks pose additional health effects when taken alongside alcohol. Gunja & Brown (2012) maintain that, studies on college students in America identified high rate of mixing alcohol with energy drinks. Young people, especially adolescents seem to be less concerned about this dangerous practice. In their review of data from NSWPIC, Gunja & Brown (2012) found out that, nearly 25 percent of calls that reported recreational consumption entailed alcohol co-ingestion. Drawing from Arria, Caldeira, & Kasperski (2011), people who combine energy drinks with alcohol are more susceptible to alcohol-related harm than those who consume alcohol only. This is due to the fact that, caffeine found in energy drinks conceals the intoxication and depressant impacts of alcohol increasing the possibility of excessive drinking of alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption increases a person’s risk of alcohol poisoning, dehydration, risky sexual conduct, alcohol-related violence and impaired judgement. Given the increasing incidence of alcohol co-ingestion among college students, these students face the risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Caffeine contained in energy drinks affects attention, causes sleep disturbances and increases blood pressure in adolescents and children. Turley, Desisso, & Gerst (2007) carried out a study in 26 men and 26 boys to compare the effects of caffeine on the two groups. According to their study, the same amount of caffeine had similar effects on the blood pressure of both groups, but pulse rate was considerably reduced in boys, while no changes were reported on the men’s pulse rate. In addition, the boys showed more augmented speech rates and motor activity along with reduced reaction time compared to men. Though caffeine can enhance attention, it causes sleep disturbances and increases blood pressure in children. After cessation of caffeine consumption among children who routinely use it, reaction time augments and attention decreases (Seifert et al., 2011). Accordingly, consumption of energy drinks containing high caffeine levels among adolescents and children ought to be avoided due to the potential effects of increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, reduced pulse rate and reaction time. On the contrary, caffeine intake may be allowed due to its benefits, which include augmented attention and motor activity. Caffeine may also cause withdrawal-symptom reversal. A study carried out by Heatherley, Hancock, & Rogers (2006) involved children aged between 9 and 11 years with habitual and low caffeine mean intake of 109 mg per day and 12 mg per day respectively. Fifty grams of caffeine were administered to the children after overnight withdrawal. Children with habitual caffeine intake showed withdrawal-symptom reversal, that is dulled cognition and headache. In contrast, those who were not habitual users of caffeine showed no noticeable changes in alertness, headache and cognitive performance. From the study, it is evident that caffeine intake can affect children’s cognitive performance and alertness and cause headaches. However, from the study, irregular intake of low caffeine levels does not seem to cause withdrawal-symptom reversal, but only habitual high-level caffeine intake is associated with such effects. Thus, irregular caffeine intake may be said to be less harmful among children. Energy drinks have negative health effects in children with Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Seifert et al. (2011) assert that, ADHD affects between 8 and 16 percent of school-aged children in the U.S and might be more common in children suffering from heart disease. Around 2.5 million children in the U.S use ADHD’s stimulants, which may raise blood pressure and heart rate. Children with this disorder have high substance abuse’s rates, including excessive consumption of caffeine. This results in the blockage of A2A adenosine receptors, which increases the dopamine impacts in a similar manner to guanfacine on ADHD. For the children with ADHD and methylphenidate cardio-toxicity, use of energy drinks may augment cardiac events (Dadfarmay & Dixon, 2009). In this case, consumption of energy drinks with caffeine seems to have serious health effects on children suffering from ADHD and thus, such population ought to avoid the use of such energy drinks. Furthermore, energy drinks may cause cardiac complications in adolescents and children having eating disorders. According to Striegel-Moore et al. (2006), adolescents and children having eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa, might regularly take high caffeine amounts to reduce caloric-restriction-associated fatigue, produce some duresis and looser stools and suppress appetite. Moreover, adolescents and children having eating disorders are susceptible to electrolyte disorders and cardiac mortality/morbidity. Thus, consumption of energy drinks with high-caffeine levels might make them additionally vulnerable to intra-cardiac conduction and cardiac dysrythmias abnormalities. Adolescents and children having eating disorders are usually susceptible to cardiac complications and thus, consuming energy drinks containing high caffeine levels should be avoided in efforts to decrease their susceptibility. However, there is no evidence as to whether low or moderate caffeine levels may increase the incidence of cardiac events and thus, energy drinks with low-caffeine levels may be used by adolescents and children having eating disorders. Energy drinks may affect bone mineralization among adolescents. Maximal calcium placement in the bone takes place during the start of adolescence and caffeine interrupts calcium absorption in the intestines. It is still controversial as to whether caffeine contributes the most significant effect on the acquisition of bone among adolescents or whether milk intake’s replacement by caffeinated drinks is the main contributor (Heaney, 2004). In either case, chances are that caffeine impacts bone acquisition among adolescents. This is because; consumption of energy drinks with caffeine tends to increase during adolescents due to extensive marketing of the drinks and peer influence. Moreover, there is no evidence showing that adolescents tend to replace the consumption of milk with caffeinated energy drinks, and milk consumption is not usually common among adolescents. On the contrary, milk contains calcium which aids in acquisition and strengthening of bones. Thus, a shift from consuming milk to caffeinated energy drinks among adolescents may have a negative effect on acquisition of bones. Conclusion From the above discussion, high caffeine levels that are found in energy drinks cause various health effects in adolescents and children. Excessive consumption of energy drinks may cause caffeine toxicity and health effects such as insomnia, headaches, nausea, nervousness and vomiting. Low caffeine levels like 50gm are also associated with agitation and tachycardia. Energy drinks when taken alongside alcohol, which is common among young people, pose additional risks including alcohol poisoning, dehydration, risky sexual conduct, alcohol-related violence and impaired judgement. Additionally, high caffeine levels causes sleep disturbances, reduce pulse rate and reaction time and increase blood pressure in adolescents and children, but it enhances attention and motor activity. Caffeine can also lead to withdrawal-symptom reversal among children who are habitual users. Furthermore, consumption of caffeinated energy drinks can augment cardiac events and complications in adolescents and children with Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and eating disorders. Caffeine found in energy drinks can also affect bone acquisition among adolescents. It can thus be concluded that, energy drinks containing high caffeine levels should be restricted to people above the age of 18 years because of the several health risks they pose to adolescents and children. References Arria, A., Caldeira, K., & Kasperski, S. (2011). Energy drink consumption and increased risk for alcohol dependence. Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, 35 (2), 365-375. Babu, K., Church, R., & Lewander, W. (2008). Energy drinks: the new eye-opener for adolescents. Clinical Paediatric Emergency Medicine, 9 (1), 35–42. Dadfarmay, S., & Dixon, J. (2009). A case of acute cardiomyopathy and pericarditis associated with methylphenidate. Cardiovascular Toxicology, 9 (1), 49–52. Gunja, N., & Brown, J. (2012). Energy drinks: health risks and toxicity. Medical Journal of Australia, 196 (1), 46-49. Heaney, R. (2004). Effects of caffeine on bone and the calcium economy. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40 (9), 1263–1270. Heatherley, S., Hancock, K., & Rogers, P. (2006). Psychostimulant and other effects of caffeine in 9- to 11-year-old children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47 (2), 135–142. Seifert, S. M., Schaechter, J. L., Hershorin, E. R., & Lipshultz, S. E. (2011). Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. Paediatrics, 127 (3), 511–528. Striegel-Moore, R., Franko, D., Thompson, D., Barton, B., Schreiber, G., & Daniels, S. (2006). Caffeine intake in eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 39 (2), 162–165. Turley, K., Desisso, T., & Gerst, J. (2007). Effects of caffeine on physiological responses to exercise: boys versus men. Paediatric exercise science, 19 (4), 481–492. Read More