A total of 12 energy drinks on sale in Spanish supermarkets reach or exceed 150 milligrams of caffeine per can, the maximum daily amount recommended by the EFSA for a teenager weighing 50 kg. This is the conclusion of a study by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), which has warned that ingesting this amount of caffeine can “cause adverse effects on the health of the youngest.”
The drinks that exceed this amount, most in 500 ml containers, are the Reign Melón Manía, with 200 mg of caffeine; the Nocco Juicy Melba, with 181.5 mg; Monster Energy, with 160 mg; the Monster Juiced Monster, with 160 mg; the Energy drink, with 160 mg; the Furious Energy Drink, from Mercadona, with 160 mg; the Burn Original with 160 mg; the Rockstart Original No sugar, with 155 mg; and the PepsiCo Energy Drink Original, with 155 mg.
In addition to caffeine, these products often include sugar, carbonated water, and other additives and flavorings. The organization recalls that, in small doses, caffeine increases alertness and reduces drowsiness, but consuming it in excess can cause short-term problems related to the central nervous system, such as interrupted sleep or anxiety, and in the long run, cardiovascular damage. . In pregnant women, they add, it can cause a delay in the growth of the fetus.
“And even more worrisome is the combination of these drinks with alcohol,” they state. Mixing both products is common among young people, who usually take this combo when they go out to parties. The danger of mixing energy drinks with alcohol is that large amounts of caffeine reduce sleepiness and tiredness, but do not lessen the effects of alcohol. That translates, according to the consumer organization, into a state of “wide awake drunkenness.” This means that you stay awake longer and maintain the possibility of continuing to drink, extending and increasing the damage to health.
The OCU plans to meet with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to study measures that contribute to reducing consumption among minors. “The intake of energy drinks continues to increase among the youngest: one in two students between the ages of 14 and 18 drink them, according to the latest ESTUDES survey of the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs,” they conclude.
