AMA vote for energy drinks band for under 18: Is too much caffeine putting our adolescents at risk for heat problems? 20,000 emergency room visits ~ Cynthia G. Creel 8-1-2013

AMA vote for energy drinks band for under 18:

Is too much caffeine putting  our adolescents 

at risk for heat problems? 

20,000 emergency room visits
~ Cynthia G. Creel

8-1-2013

My Story:

My friends 16 year old daughter was lying on the ground unable to get up, her heart was racing. She had not done any exercise, she had drank an energy drink. This all led to a trip to the doctor’s to find out she had reacted to something in the energy drink. Could it have been the quick absorption of  caffeine? 

I do know my friend was scared that she would loose her daughter, my friend’s daughter felt like she was going to die and I thought this shouldn’t be happening to a young person not even into  her 20’s yet. 

It seems teens and adults are looking for something to pep them up and getting more then they bargain  for, 



Is it time to ban energy drinks to the underage for adolescents?


American Medical Association’s (1) is for a band  on energy Drink for adolescents:

“Stimulant drinks have surged in popularity in recent years, especially among high school and college students, and health advocates are concerned about the use of these drinks among adolescents due to excessive amounts of caffeine. The FDA is continuing to investigate reports of illness, injury or death of people who drank products marketed as “energy drinks” or “energy shots.” The AMA today adopted policy supporting a ban of the marketing of high stimulant/caffeine drinks to adolescents under the age of 18.
“Energy drinks contain massive and excessive amounts of caffeine that may lead to a host of health problems in young people, including heart problems, and banning companies from marketing these products to adolescents is a common sense action that we can take to protect the health of American kids,” said AMA board member Alexander Ding, MD.”


New survey says emergency room visits from reactions  energy drinks has doubles from 2007:

The Daily Mail (2) repots on a government survey  show a possible connection between emergency room visits and drinking an energy drink doubled in the last 4 years to a whooping 20,000 visits.  

Energy drink sales are up by 17 percent with the energy drink rage continuing in popularity. In 2011 over 40% of the patients also consumed  an energy drink in addiction to alcohol or drugs such as Adderall or Ritalin.  The article also quotes  Howard Mell, an emergency physician in the suburbs of Cleveland, who serves as a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians saying “'A lot of people don't realize the strength of these things. I had someone come in recently who had drunk three energy drinks in an hour, which is the equivalent of 15 cups of coffee,”


Deaths reported  from enery drink:

 According to WebMD (3) the FDA has 5 reports of death from the possible consumptions of energy drink. 

Such as a 14 year old girl from Maryland, USA collapses after 14 ounce Monster Energy drink in 2 days. The report show a possible connection but doesn’t show proof that it is. Just a possible connection  sighting a caffeine poisoning as a factor. The FDA will consider all sources of caffeine before deterring cause of death.  With the drink also contain other stimulants like taurine and guarana. 

The girls parents filed a lawsuit against Monster Energy  noting that Monster Energy doesn’t list the how many mg. of caffeine there is in one drink. Most likely the girl consumed two cans of energy drink with a possible 240 mg of caffeine exceeding the recommended portion for teen and child doses of  100 mg of caffeine per day. Adults should have less then 400 mg day. 



Final words:

There are many limits for adolescents developing bodies and brains like consuming alcohol, drugs, driving, signing a contract. Understanding the adolescent is still developing judgment, experience and knowledge made them more likely  to  consuming too much caffeine in an energy drink with lower body weight that may increase the  effect. 

Just like a pool barrier helps prevent children from drowning, a ban for the under 18 group on direct sales of energy drinks would help deter accesses to a possibly  harmful drink. However, educating how dangers and easily it is to over dose from  too much caffeine and possibly other elements could be an immense help to protecting  the young.  


If children are being negatively affected by the energy drinks there are most likely a negatively affecting adults. There are many reasons we become tired, lacking a super shot of  caffeine may not be the case. 

Vote with your money:

Looking at the whole picture always helps me make a better choice. Be more proactive we can all become just a little bit better and the more likely the negative results in life can be avoided. Stand up tall with an upright posture and be proactive. The solution  helps to keep moving the best direction is to step onto the path of True Health.  Discover a new world. Help yourself, help the world, step on to the Path of True Health and vote with your dollars  company you want to support to create a world you will love to live in. I do, and I like the world I am helping to create. Together we can create a better life for all to remember over their entire lifetime  Together we can protect what we have so we don’t need to live in a world that is second rate.


By Design ~ “Life is good By Design” 
Photo and photo creation by  Cynthia G. Creel all rights reserved ©2013
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all rights reserved ©2013 written permission is needed to duplicate
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of By Design or Cynthia G. Creel. Consultation of a medical professional is highly recommended before any changes are considered. This article is not saying anyone person in a leadership position is unhealthy or healthy, it is just a possibly of many and is only speaking in general terms. .Note: No company mentioned in this article is considered to serve “healthy or unhealthy” food, any examples given  was  only used as an example of how business works though their history and public information. The focus is only to help explain a idea. Statements and conclusions of  any study authors that are presented are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the  policy or position of Cynthia G. Creel or any means the information is published.  There is no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability
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Sources:

(1) http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/2013/2013-06-18-new-ama-policies-annual-meeting.page

(2) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2263402/Emergency-room-visits-tied-energy-drinks-doubled-2007-warns-U-S-government-survey.html

(3) http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20121023/death-reports-monster-energy-drink