From Your Health Journal…..”A interesting article from a local CBS affiliate written by Ryan Jaslow called Experts: Energy drinks, alcohol and teens shouldn’t mix. Over the years, we have read many stories about energy drinks, caffeine, and alcohol usage for children or teens. A recent article suggests that energy drinks can cause insomnia, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, anxiety and obesity among other issues which can be exasperated by alcohol. There are many adults and teens who consume energy drinks wisely, with no problems, but the problem for many, is when it is combined with alcohol. Alcohol misuse by teens is nothing new, but trying to find a solution to this is the challenge. The study also stated that drinking just one caffeinated beverage mixed with alcohol can be the same as drinking a bottle of wine and several cups of coffee, according to the study. So, what can be done. The one thing is to educate teens about the dangers of mixing caffeine and alcohol. Please visit the CBS web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

The caffeinated contents of energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster can be dangerous for teens, especially when combined with alcohol, new research confirms.

A report, published on Feb. 1 on Pediatrics in Review, reiterated that energy drinks can cause insomnia, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, anxiety and obesity among other issues which can be exasperated by alcohol.

Other side effects include concerning behaviors, which can include drunk driving and risky sexual behavior.

“I don’t think there is any sensationalism going on here. These drinks can be dangerous for teens,” review lead author Dr. Kwabena Blankson, a U.S. Air Force major and an adolescent medicine specialist at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va., told HealthDay. “They contain too much caffeine and other additives that we don’t know enough about. Healthy eating, exercise and adequate sleep are better ways to get energy.”

Making things worse, study authors said, that energy drink makers constantly market to young people, leading them to think it’s okay to mix their drinks. These adolescents and young adults aren’t always aware that mixing alcohol and energy drinks can make them feel less drunk than they really are, they said.

Drinking just one caffeinated beverage mixed with alcohol can be the same as drinking a bottle of wine and several cups of coffee, according to the study. Sixteen-ounce energy drinks have about 160 mg of caffeine, compared to one average cup of coffee which only contains 100 mg. More than 100 mg a day of caffeine is unhealthy for teens, Blankson told HealthDay. Other additives like sugar, ginseng and guarana boost the caffeinated effects in the energy drinks.

To read the full article…..Click here