IN HEALTHIER ME THIS MORNING:
ENERGY DRINKS ARE GROWING IN
POPULARITY, BUT SOME EXPERTS
SAY NOT EVERYONE SHOULD DRINK
THEM.
HOLLY FIRFER LOOKS AT THE
DANGERS OF THE DRINKS AND
CHILDREN.
ENERGY DRINKS - THEY'RE CHEAP,
HIGH-OCTANE, AND READILY
AVAILABLE
IN STORES. MAYBE TOO READILY
AVAILABLE. A RECENT STUDY FOUND
THAT OVER 40% OF ALL ENERGY
DRINK-
RELATED CALLS TO POISON CONTROL
CENTERS IN THE U-S WERE FOR
KIDS UNDER 6 - MANY OF THEM
SUFFERING SERIOUS NERVOUS SYSTEM
AND HEART SYMPTOMS.
A CAN OR A BOTTLE OF AN ENERGY
DRINK COULD HAVE AS MUCH AS
500MG OF CAFFEINE WHICH IS EQUAL
TO ABOUT 14 CANS OF SODA. SO WAY
HIGHER THAN YOU'D WANT A
CHILD TO HAVE. SOMETIMES THESE
DRINKS AREN'T LABELED WELL, SO
YOU DON'T SEE WHAT THE
INGREDIENTS CAN BE, INCLUDING
THE HIGH AMOUNTS OF CAFFEINE,
AND A THE CHILD MAY THINK IT'S
THE SAME AS ANY TYPE OF SODA OR
JUICE THAT THEIR PARENTS MIGHT
BE
OK WITH GIVING THEM.
SHU SAYS THE DANGERS OF
OVERCONSUMPTIO N FOR KIDS, AND
EVEN ADULTS VARIES FROM THE
MINOR...
AS SIMPLE AS HEADACHES OR SOME
SHAKINESS OR JITTERINESS BUT
THEY
COULD EVEN BE MORE SERIOUS LIKE
PROBLEMS WITH YOUR HEART
RHYTHYM, WHERE YOUR HEART IS
IRREGULAR, IT BEATS TOO FAST OR
EVEN SEIZURES.
THE RISKS ARE PARTICULARLY HIGH,
SHE SAYS, FOR KIDS WHO ALREADY
TAKE STIMULANT MEDICATIONS FOR
THINGS LIKE A-D- H-D, AND OLDER
KIDS WHO MAY MIX THE ENERGY
DRINKS WITH ALCOHOL.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE CAFFEINE
AND OTHER STIMULANTS RAISING
CONCERNS... THE DRINKS ARE ALSO
OFTEN FILLED WITH SUGAR.
TOO MUCH OF THAT SUGAR CAN CAUSE
WEIGHT GAIN AS WELL AS CAVITIES.
IN GENERAL, SHU SAYS -- IT'S
BEST TO KEEP KIDS AWAY FROM
ANYTHING BUT THE BASICS.
FOR THE MOST PART, ALL OF THE
FLUID YOUR BODY NEEDS CAN BE
FOUND IN WATER, IN MILK AND SOME
100% FRUIT JUICE. YOU REALLY
DON'T NEED WHAT'S MARKETED AS
SPORTS
DRINKS WITH ELECTROLYTES UNLESS
YOU'RE DOING SOME REALLY
VIGOROUS PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
AND TO PREVENT YOUR CHILD FROM
ACCIDENTALLY DRINKING AN ENERGY
DRINK, SHE SAYS.. .KEEP THEM
LOCKED UP.
I ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO TREAT
ENERGY DRINKS LIKE THEY WOULD
ANY KIND OF DRUG OR MEDICINE OR
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL. KEEP THEM
OUT OF THE REACH OF KIDS. YOU'RE
KEEPING ALCOHOL OUT OF THE REACH
OF KIDS, YOU'RE ALSO KEEPING
CLEANING SUPPLIES OUT - YOU
SHOULD ALSO KEEP ENERGY DRINKS
OUT.
FOR TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE, I'M
HOLLY FIRFER.
TIME FOR WEATHER AND TRAFFIC ON
