Nowadays, the energy drink industry has made billions from its popularity. Millions of dollars spent on advertisements and sale promotions have helped create the popular idea that energy drinks are a must for our fast paced modern world.
It is due to the fierce marketing that people have now become hooked on energy drinks and have in fact begun to consume them in much the same way as soda was decades ago. Unfortunately, such accepted practice belies the energy drinks side effects to children. It is a well established fact that the excessive consumption of energy drinks are bad for adults, more so if children consume it themselves on a daily basis.
Only fairly recently, several alarming reports on the rise of energy drink consumption amongst children have been reported by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Reports have stated that as much as 30-50% of pre-adolescents and young adults consume energy drinks.
The medium of consumption is often on a day-to-day basis, especially while out drinking with other teens. Energy drinks are easily obtained by children due to the FDAs lack of guidelines for the sale and distribution of energy drinks among minors.
Although energy drinks normally contain legal substances, children can take copious amounts of such sweet-tasting energy drinks. Another unknown danger of energy drinks is its relatively high amount of caffeine, which is something that shouldn’t be consumed while one is still young. Among the many energy drinks side effects are increased heart rate, palpitation, restlessness and anxiety, and even dehydration from excessive caffeine intake.
The situation is compounded as kids experience energy drinks side effects while they are physically active. Increased breathing and heart rate and experienced during physical activity due to the stimulant nature of caffeine. Cardiac problems, palpitations and seizures, and sudden and unpredictable mood swings are all part and parcel of energy drink side effects. People with medical conditions have also been known to manifest worst energy drinks side effects than others.
In fact, some countries like Turkey, Norway and Uruguay has altogether banned sales of such products to children below 15 years of age according to a New York Times news report. This is very important because parents must be on the forefront in safeguarding their children’s health.
Energy drinks should in fact be completely abolished from a perosn’s diet. Natural and alternative sources are a better choice for the needed energy boost. After all, anything that is artificial or commercial would not render much good to the human body.
