Energy drinks are dangerous for children

Almaty. February 15. Kazakhstan Today - Doctors have warned energy drinks can be dangerous for children increasing blood pressure and causing seizures, or even sudden death, Kazakhstan Today reports.

Energy drinks such as Red Bull should be as closely regulated as alcohol, tobacco and prescription medicines, doctors have warned, Daily Mail reported.

A study claimed high-caffeine drinks could cause seizures, strokes or even sudden death in children, and those with diabetes or behavioural disorders were most at risk.

Researchers found some beverages claiming to boost energy levels contained three to five times as much caffeine as an eight-ounce fizzy drink.

They said energy drinks, often overused by teenagers targeted in glossy marketing campaigns, frequently contained ingredients that could enhance the effects of caffeine and should be stringently regulated.

'Energy drinks have no therapeutic benefit and many ingredients are under-studied and not regulated,' said Dr Steven Lipshultz, of the University of Miami's school of medicine, who co-authored the study.

The researchers said that while caffeine could improve attention spans, it also increased blood pressure.

Energy drinks are commonly marketed at youngsters, with makers using action sports like skating, snowboarding and Formula One to attract customers, The Telegraph informed.

Many contain three times as much caffeine of a can of cola, while some contain five times the amount, they found.

The newest trend among manufacturers is to make small 'shot-sized' drinks with very high caffeine concentrations. Lucozade Alert Plus, for example, is twice as strong as normally brewed coffee.

The doctors, from the University of Miami's paediatrics department, warned: "Frequently containing high and unregulated amounts of caffeine, these drinks have been reported in association with serious adverse effects, especially in children, adolescents, and young adults with seizures, diabetes, cardiac abnormalities, or mood and behavioral disorders or those who take certain medications."

The risk to some youngsters with eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, who "may regularly consume high amounts of caffeine to counter calorific-restriction associated fatigue" was "disconcerting", they added.

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