Energy Drinks:

1. Energy Drinks: Health effects on youth Carrie Chanter, MA, CHES Genesee County Health Department Adapted by: Erin Shankie GISD- Health, Safety & Nutrition

2. energy drink facts • More than 500 new energy drinks launched worldwide this year • The market for energy drinks is worth an annual $3.4 billion !! • 31% of U.S. teenagers say they drink energy drinks • Energy drinks are unregulated in the US • Can hook kids on an unhealthy jolt-and-crash cycle • There is little research on the health effects of energy drinks in kids and teens, who are more sensitive to caffeine's effects than adults

3. what do these drinks contain? • Caffeine:The typical energy drink provides at least 80mg of caffeine per can (although this varies between brands). = • Guarana: Guarana is a caffeine-containing extract from a South American plant. It is the main source of caffeine present in these drinks. • Sugar: The amount of sugar in energy drinks is usually much higher (10-12%) than in “sports drinks” (6-8%). • Protein:Proteins such as taurine are sometimes added to these drinks.

4. excessive caffeine • The caffeine comes from multiple sources, making it hard to tell how much the drinks contain • New study found a surprising number of poison-center calls from young people getting sick from too much caffeine • And now energy drinks are moving toward bigger cans with some products raising the caffeine content to gain a competitive edge

5. health risks of excessive caffeine CAFFEINE CAN CAUSE….. • ‘stimulant’ that speeds up parts of the body and brain, • increases heart rate, • increases blood pressure, • increases body temperature, • hand tremors, • changes in the hearts rhythm, • dehydration, • negative effect on sports performance, • sleep disturbances, • stomach upsets, bed-wetting, • anxiety

6. caffeine & sugar combo • can lead to dental problems and obesity • slow the body’s absorption of water • Not good for sports drinks • can contribute to blood sugar imbalances • overproduction of adrenaline • excess sugar being converted to fat in the body • works against our body's natural mechanisms for providing energy • quick burst of energy but an energy crash later, leaving you feeling more tired than before

7. health risks of energy drinks • These drinks can be addicting • If you drink them often, you start needing larger amounts to feel their effects • Eventually, without them you feel weak and tired • Then you need the energy drinks just to feel normal • The process is similar to drug addiction

8. crush through the hype! • Energy drinks often make big promises • Some say they’ll increase… • energy and alertness • extra nutrition • boost your athletic performance • powers of concentration • Increased endurance • weight loss • Flashy packaging on energy products • What you’re mostly getting is a stiff dose of sugar and caffeine • Very expensive! $2.50-$3.00

9. crush the marketing scam • TEENS + MONEY = SPENDING POWER • Appealing displays are the key to impulse • Generally marketed as being all-natural energy boosters • Say they loaded with exotic ingredients that popular culture believes to be healthy • They taste like carbonated cough syrup! “Even though I don’t drink Monster energy drinks, they had a display with a woman who has animal eyes and fangs. I though this display was cool.”

10. selling energy: de-scramble the million dollar slogans! • Aim to appeal to specific consumer groups • KMX Energy Drink claims that it will "Ignite Your Mind“ • Hype drink “reinvigorates” and “refreshes the body” • Kabbalah Energy drink’s slogan is “Source of Power” • “Let Your Man Out” from Full Throttle • “Red Bull gives you wings” by Red Bull • “Party Like a Rock Star” from Rockstar • Spaz Juice advertises consumers to “Drink this and feel less sucky” because it will give you "All the energy you need to annoy everybody else“

11. drink water! • human bodies are estimated to be about 60-70% water • blood is mostly water, and our muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water • water is needed to regulate body temperature • to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all our organs • transports oxygen to our cells, removes waste, and protects our joints and organs • < 60 minutes exercise - water is the best drink for rehydration • > 60 minutes exercise- sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade may be useful to replace fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes lost • NEVER should drinks used for rehydration contain caffeine

12. Questions? Carrie Chanter, MA, CHES Genesee County Health Department 810-768-7982 cchanter@gchd.us