Avoid Energy Drinks for Kids and Teens

Ending a long debate about keamanaan drink supplements, experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a recommendation that children and teenagers avoid the consumption of energy drinks (energy drinks) and only consume sports drinks to a minimum.

"The kids do not ever need energy drinks. These drinks contain caffeine and stimulants that are not nutritious content so that no child needs," said Benjamin Dr.Holly of the Academy of Pediatrics.

Children were also regarded as more risky group on the compounds present in energy drinks. "If the drink is consumed on a regular basis can
cause stress on the body. This is very dangerous to the body that is still in its infancy," he explained.

The recommendations are published in the journal Pediatrics. Previous research was also conducted on energy drinks and sports drinks that contain no stimulants.

The experts emphasized that water is the best drink if the child feels thirsty. Sports drinks may be required by young athletes who train hard because these drinks contain sugar.

However, in children in general physical activity scale of mild to moderate, sports drinks will only lead to obesity.

Energy drinks contain a mix of content, including vitamins and herbal extracts, the side effects is unknown. Benjamin said, although not much documentation about the dangers of these drinks, but stimulants can disrupt heart rhythms and lead to convulsions, although rare.

Previously also found cases of 15 teenagers who rushed to the hospital because of seizures after drinking two bottles of soft drinks containing caffeine. Boy are people with behavioral disorders and concentration (ADHD) is a new drink that contains a stimulant ADHD drug. Additional caffeine from drinks were allegedly triggered the seizures.

Beginning in 2011, in the journal Pediatrics also reviewed the literature on energy drinks. Mentioned in Florida found cases of convulsions, delusions, heart problems, kidney and liver damage in people who drank one bottle or more non-alcoholic energy drinks.

But because these cases are rare and can not be concluded due to the drink supplement, at that time the researchers only recommend supplements for beverages are not consumed by children, especially with certain medical conditions.

In the United States alone sales of non-alcoholic energy drink this year expected to reach 9 billion U.S. dollars, with half of the target market of children and adolescents.

Supplement their own drinks producers claim their products will enhance physical and mental performance. They also claim their products contain only 80 mg caffeine, equivalent to a cup of coffee.