Energy Drinks are Bad, Mmmkay...

Annable McGilvray of ABC Science wrote an article about the effects of energy drinks. Increasing the damage of blood vessels and “stickiness” of blood, energy drinks are dangerous according to research conducted by the University of Adelaide. Dr. Scott Willoughby said that though these drinks are made to increase energy levels, they encourage heart conditions to even healthy individuals. He also said that, “Given the prolific use of these drinks within the young population, further research into the link between energy drinks and heart disease is urgently needed.” There were results published recently in the American Journal of Medicine that expressed concerns about the safety of energy drinks.

The mission of the researchers was to find the cardiovascular effects following anecdotal reports of the link between heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths. There were 50 healthy participants aged in their early 20s who after drinking only one can of this beverage (250ml), there was “an increase in blood clotting potential and blood vessel function is reduced – both of which increase the risk of a heart attack.” This test however was conducted in a laboratory and there is need for a more “real world” tests.

There is another product out that is just as dangerous as energy drinks yet is regulated by the government. One example is in 2003 when all advertisements of this product were removed from school libraries and four leading magazines with high percentages of young readers under the agreement with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). The practice of this can only be allowed only in certain places and varies from state to state along with the age at which one is legally able to buy. If you haven’t figured it out by now what this mystery product is - it’s cigarettes.

The reason for cigarette companies not advertising their product to a younger audience is because of government regulations. Cigarettes are marketed to a more “mature” audience in contrary to energy drinks that are marketed to teenagers and young adults. According to David Croteau and William Hoynes, “advertisers are not interested in media products, except as a kind of bait to lure audiences and expose them to the ads” (64). There is even a store called the Energy Drink Outlet that has aired local radio and television commercials. The radio commercials are aired on a local radio station (Jackson Hole Radio) which features popular progressive music and Adult Rock from the past in order to each their potential costumers. Energy drinks are easily found in not only "specialty" shops, but also any convenience store and can be purchased by people of all ages. However, the health effects are almost as bad as cigarettes that need proper identification in order to purchase.

So now are energy drinks on the potential list of another government regulated item of consumption? If they’re regulating the age at which you can buy cigarettes because of health reasons, then why not energy drinks. We all know the health risks that smoking presents and as noted above, we now know some of the dire effects of energy drinks on your heart. There was a case last year in the Medical Journal of Australia in which cardiologist Dr. Kevin Alford outlined where a healthy 28-year-old died of a heart attack after drinking seven cans within the time period of six hours WHILE doing strenuous exercise. I believe that energy drinks are just as bad as smoking; however, I do believe one can consume anything in moderation.

Please note: I am a FIRM believer in that the government should not regulate what I put into my body whether it be an energy drink, cigarette, or even a Big Mac. These are all examples of me hurting my body and not causing chaos in society such as drunk driving. If I want to drink seven cans of energy drink and then go for an intense run or if I want to smoke nonstop all day, that is my prerogative and the government needs to stay out of my personal life and not tell me what I can consume, where I can consume it, and at what age I am legally allowed to consume.

sARAH

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/02/2808104.htm