Hey Everyone,
This thread idea was brought up by our very own @Godsgirl1983. We've all probably heard the tagline, "Red Bull Gives You Wings," but just how concerned should we be when it comes to energy drinks?
A quick Google search says this about caffeine consumption in the USA:
And while caffeine-related deaths are rare, there are still other troubling statistics such as:
"Liquid caffeine products such as energy drinks have driven up a 35% increase in poison center exposures, and emergency department visits for teenagers more than doubled between 2017 and 2023."
In some stores I worked at (especially during night shifts,) energy drinks were a badge of honor. People were always boasting about how many they were slamming per shift. One young co-worker claimed he had to go to the emergency room because of them (but he was known to exaggerate and never showed any proof of his stories.)
We all know that most of us, no matter how hard we try, are often sleep-deprived and find ourselves reliant on some form of caffeine or "energy drink" to make it through the day.
And we've all heard at least one story like that of Larissa Rodriguez, a 17-year-old cheerleader who died from an enlarged heart caused by stress and large amounts of caffeine found in Alani Nu energy drinks. In her family's lawsuit, it was alleged that the company gave inadequate warnings for the 200 mg of caffeine in their drinks -- about twice the 100 mg per day max suggested for teenagers.
Some drinks, like "Feel Free", are already under a 21 And Older restriction because of addictive nature of their ingredients, kava and kratom. I've watched several videos of people losing their lives to these drinks (marriages, money, jobs, families, etc.) just as with alcohol and hard street drugs.
But as of right now, I didn't see any age regulations for buying caffeinated products in the USA (unless, of course, they also contain alcohol.)
Do you agree with this?
* How many cups/cans/glasses of caffeinated products do you use per day, and in what form? (Coffee, tea, pills, energy drinks, etc.)
* How do you believe these products affect people's overall long-term health? Do you think they're safe for the long-term? Why or why not? Any personal stories you'd like to share?
* What about for young people? Should there be restrictions and regulations on what and how much teens can buy themselves (as with alcohol?)
* If you want to see an age limit for buying caffeine, what should it start at?
* Do you ever have to talk with (confront) others how much caffeine their consuming -- because you're worried about their safety?
With caffeine being such an accessible drug to everyone (at least here in the USA,) I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about it's pro's and con's -- especially in concentrated products like energy drinks.
This thread idea was brought up by our very own @Godsgirl1983. We've all probably heard the tagline, "Red Bull Gives You Wings," but just how concerned should we be when it comes to energy drinks?
A quick Google search says this about caffeine consumption in the USA:
And while caffeine-related deaths are rare, there are still other troubling statistics such as:
"Liquid caffeine products such as energy drinks have driven up a 35% increase in poison center exposures, and emergency department visits for teenagers more than doubled between 2017 and 2023."
In some stores I worked at (especially during night shifts,) energy drinks were a badge of honor. People were always boasting about how many they were slamming per shift. One young co-worker claimed he had to go to the emergency room because of them (but he was known to exaggerate and never showed any proof of his stories.)
We all know that most of us, no matter how hard we try, are often sleep-deprived and find ourselves reliant on some form of caffeine or "energy drink" to make it through the day.
And we've all heard at least one story like that of Larissa Rodriguez, a 17-year-old cheerleader who died from an enlarged heart caused by stress and large amounts of caffeine found in Alani Nu energy drinks. In her family's lawsuit, it was alleged that the company gave inadequate warnings for the 200 mg of caffeine in their drinks -- about twice the 100 mg per day max suggested for teenagers.
Some drinks, like "Feel Free", are already under a 21 And Older restriction because of addictive nature of their ingredients, kava and kratom. I've watched several videos of people losing their lives to these drinks (marriages, money, jobs, families, etc.) just as with alcohol and hard street drugs.
But as of right now, I didn't see any age regulations for buying caffeinated products in the USA (unless, of course, they also contain alcohol.)
Do you agree with this?
* How many cups/cans/glasses of caffeinated products do you use per day, and in what form? (Coffee, tea, pills, energy drinks, etc.)
* How do you believe these products affect people's overall long-term health? Do you think they're safe for the long-term? Why or why not? Any personal stories you'd like to share?
* What about for young people? Should there be restrictions and regulations on what and how much teens can buy themselves (as with alcohol?)
* If you want to see an age limit for buying caffeine, what should it start at?
* Do you ever have to talk with (confront) others how much caffeine their consuming -- because you're worried about their safety?
With caffeine being such an accessible drug to everyone (at least here in the USA,) I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about it's pro's and con's -- especially in concentrated products like energy drinks.
