Can of energy drink ‘could poison a child’

Drinking a can of energy drink is enough to give a child caffeine poisoning, a leading doctor has warned.In the past three years, more than 2,000 children under the age of six were taken to hospital in the US suffering from the effects of the popular drinks, a study has revealed.Their symptoms included serious cardiac […]

Drinking a can of energy drink is enough to give a child caffeine poisoning, a leading doctor has warned.
In the past three years, more than 2,000 children under the age of six were taken to hospital in the US suffering from the effects of the popular drinks, a study has revealed.
Their symptoms included serious cardiac problems – including abnormal heart rhythms – or neurological problems such as seizures and fits.
Caption: A can of energy drink could poison a child and a 250ml can of Red Bull, which contains 80mg of caffeine, and a 500ml can of Monster Energy drink, which contains 160mg of caffeine, are well over the limit for a child
Professor Steven Lipshultz, paediatrician-in-chief at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, said most cans of energy drink contain enough caffeine to cause a child potential harm.
‘Exposure to energy drinks is a continuing health problem,’ he will tell the American Heart Association at a meeting in Chicago today.
‘You normally think of teens and young adults as most likely to drink them, but we found that half of calls to US poison control centres involved unintentional exposures by children less than six years old.’
High-caffeine energy drinks in the UK carry labels on their cans warning they are not suitable for children or pregnant women – but few retailers actively stop children from buying the cans.
Professor Lipshultz will say: ‘Energy drinks have no place in paediatric diets, and anyone with underlying cardiac, neurologic or other significant medical conditions should check with their healthcare provider to make sure it’s safe to consume energy drinks.’
The doctor said a child under 12 could be poisoned if they consume more than 2.5mg of caffeine for every kilogram of their body weight – enough to make most energy drinks potentially dangerous to children.
Professor Steven Lipshultz said most cans of energy drink contain enough caffeine to cause a child potential harm
His calculations mean 50mg of caffeine in a day is enough to poison an average six year old child.
A child aged 10 could get caffeine poisoning after drinking 80mg and a 12-year-old might be poisoned after 100mg.
A 500ml can of Monster Energy drink contains 160mg of caffeine – well over the limit. A 250ml can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine.
Young children, especially those with diabetes or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, may be particularly at risk, he said.
By Professor Lipshultz’s calculations, a mug of coffee also contains enough caffeine – at 100mg – to cause youngsters harm.
A single 330ml can of Coca Cola, meanwhile, contains 32mg, making it safe in moderation.
Professor Lipshultz said energy drinks may contain pharmaceutical-grade caffeine and additional caffeine from natural sources that may cause the heart to race and blood pressure to increase.
Energy drinks with multiple caffeine sources may have higher rate of side effects, typically involving the nervous, digestive or cardiovascular systems.
He said many of the added ingredients in energy drinks have never been tested for safety in children – meaning the caffeine may not be solely to blame.
‘The reported data probably represent the tip of the iceberg,’ he said.
‘This has no place in the diet of children and teenagers, and it shouldn’t be marketed at all to those under 18,’
‘If the goal is to try to protect the public’s health, then these should be regulated similar to tobacco, alcohol and driving, so you have fewer kids winding up in the hospital or intensive care.’
Culled from Mail Online