Energy Drinks - A Threat to Public Health?

Are ALL energy drinks a "threat to public health" as a recent Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) commentary suggests? Or is it just the ones with excessively high levels of caffeine? From the point of view of one of the millions of people worldwide who enjoy energy beverages, I am concerned that the public and our government regulatory agencies may be tempted to incorrectly label ALL energy drinks as dangerous, just because some people abuse them.

Not All Energy Drinks Are Dangerous

I welcome an intelligent discussion of the absurd and potentially dangerous levels of anhydrous caffeine in some of these beverages. The general public, however, may get the impression that ALL energy drinks are unhealthy and dangerous, simply because some are purposely formulated to appeal to thrill-seeking youth

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That would be a great loss for the many people who could find in some energy drinks a pleasant alternative to coffee, for example.

That would be a loss to the numerous diabetics and chronic fatigue sufferers who are finding real relief from some of the more carefully formulated, low-sugar drinks.

There are some real merits to well-formulated energy drinks, but the general public rarely hears anything positive about these.

This is a complex issue, but it is ripe for scientific demagogues to use as a vehicle for obtaining more grant funding for their research. That is what this JAMA commentary is really all about.

Let us separate the key points and go over them carefully:

Some energy drinks do contain very high levels of anhydrous caffeine, which may cause unpleasant side-effects if an unsuspecting person drinks too much.

Retort: The authors of this JAMA Commentary, which was not peer-reviewed, are making an issue of something that is generally already disclosed by the fact that the purchaser is paying considerably more for something clearly labeled an "energy drink", which carries the tacit message that it is stronger than an ordinary soft drink.

Many of these beverages already are clearly labeled with their caffeine content.

Most youths and young adults are drinking these high-potency energy drinks because they are seeking an extremely energized, caffeinated experience. They usually know by reputation and by labeling cues which brands contain exaggerated levels of caffeine -- and they seek them out.

Warning Labels Are Not Going to Stop Teenage Excesses

Intelligent adults may caution against such foolishness and the predictably unpleasant results that are likely, but are kids inclined to take our advice?

How effective are warning labels on cigarette packs?

How effective are speed limits and safety devices in limiting teen deaths from auto crashes?

One of the favorite sentences is articles like this is, "More research is needed." Of course it is, because that's what keeps researchers on the payroll of universities and foundations everywhere.

Gaining access to more public dollars for pointless research is what this report is all about.

More research was "needed" to measure how much cow flatulence contributes to global warming. Now we know, but it cost the American people untold millions of dollars to find out. Please tell me how this gee-whiz information has benefited taxpayers in preventing "global warming".

How many local and Congressional hearings will be held, how many millions of dollars will be spent to fund research reports on this question? How much will the freedom of the responsible public be affected by witch hunts such as this?

And, how many lives will potentially be saved for these many millions of dollars?

Parents might want to consider whether they might benefit more by keeping more of their tax dollars and simply spend more time with their children teaching them the dangers of all the risky behaviors that might cause them harm.

Does the public really need more research reports to drive more expensive legislation to try to prevent the young people of this country from harming themselves by their poor choices?

There is no doubt that there are many energy drink brands that are competing on the basis of which is "the strongest energy drink". Will warning labels, as suggested in this JAMA article, stop teenagers from imbibing ridiculous quantities of these highly caffeinated beverages?

I doubt it.

Before we give researchers carte blanche to go on a witch hunt that may lead to a New Prohibition costing all the public for the ignorance of the few, it might be useful to learn more about the Energy Drink Facts.