New research in Canada published in the medical journal Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) Open again shows that energy drinks can be harmful to young people. Half of the young people questioned had symptoms after drinking an energy drink with caffeine, sometimes even after a single consumption.

For this research, more than 2000 young people aged 12 to 24 were questioned. Over three-quarters had experience with energy drinks. Less than 20 percent used energy drinks in combination with sport; the rest used it purely recreational.

The most common side effects were:

• an accelerated heartbeat (25%),
• sleep problems (24%)
• a headache (18%)
• nausea and diarrhea (5%).

0.2 percent of respondents also had an epileptic seizure. And 3.1 percent had sought medical help.

Remarkably, half of the young people with complaints already experienced this after one consumption. However, it is not entirely clear to what extent these complaints can only be attributed to the energy drinks, as the young people, for example, sometimes drank alcohol.

Although the authors conclude that the risk of serious complaints is small, because many young people use energy drinks, the many complaints must still be taken seriously. They advocate limiting sales to minors and warnings on packaging.

This Man Drank Energy Drinks Everyday This Is What Happened To Him

British supermarkets stop selling energy drinks under 16 years.

Several British supermarkets, including Morrisons, Waitrose, Asda, and Aldi, have decided not to sell energy drinks to younger people under sixteen years. Buyers of drinks with more than 150 mg of caffeine per liter will have to identify themselves to prove that they are older than 16 years.

The ban on energy drinks?

The Dutch Association for Pediatrics (NVK) has called for the ban on the sale of energy drinks to young people under the age of 18. They also believe that a clear warning sticker should be put on the packaging. The NVK published a fact sheet at the end of last year expressing its concern about the intake of energy drinks by children. According to the NVK, drinking the energy drinks leads to complaints such as restlessness, fatigue, sleep problems and cardiac arrhythmia. Also according to the NVK, some deaths are known where a high dose of energy drink turned out to be the cause. Also, they in combination with alcohol lead to higher alcohol levels in the blood and reduce the signals of alcohol.

As a result, the State Secretary for Public Health in the Netherlands announced a study into energy drinks. The research will focus on the health effects of the combination of caffeine and sugar on children and adolescents. However, the State Secretary is not in favor of a ban.

We, among others, also argue with the Superior Health Council to discourage the use of energy drinks under the age of sixteen.