Energy โขDrinks Pose Growing Health Risksโฃ to โChildren and Teens, Doctors Warn
Memphis, TN โ- The โคvibrant colors, sweet โขflavors, and โฃaggressive marketing of energy drinks are fueling a surge in โconsumption among childrenโ and teenagers, โฃbut health professionals are sounding the alarmโ about the potential dangers lurking within those appealing cans.โ
Dr. โMargaret West, aโข pediatrician at โLe bonheur Pediatrics Ridgeway Loop, reports a concerning increase in youngโ patients presenting wiht health issues โคdirectly linked to energy โขdrink intake. โ”It’s regrettably become incredibly popular,” Dr. West explained. “Kids are drawn in by the clever โmarketing, succumb to peer pressure, andโฃ simply see their friends drinking them.”
Recent โขresearch from Johns Hopkins University reveals โthat nearly one-third of teenagers between the agesโฃ of 12 and 17 regularly consume energy drinks. This โis particularly โคalarming given expert recommendations that adolescents aged โฃ12-18 should limit caffeine intake to aโ maximum of 100 milligrams per day – a โขthreshold frequently enough exceeded byโ a single serving of these beverages.
The high caffeine content is โthe primary concern. Dr.West details a rangeโข of โpotential health consequences,โ including behavioral problems, โheightened anxiety, disrupted sleep patterns, and, in more serious cases, irregularโค heartbeats or palpitations. “Ideally, caffeine intake โshould be zero โfor children,” sheโข emphasized. “Their brains are still undergoing critical growth,โ and their impulse control isn’t fully formed, making them particularly vulnerable toโ theโ negative effects.”
The appealโฃ toโค young โconsumers isโ clear, according to localโฃ residents.โข “They design the packaging to look like toys, with โคradiant โคcolorsโค and flashy advertisements,” observed Memphisโ resident Von Rico Webber. “It’s easy to see โคwhy kids are attracted toโ them.”
Chefmech Wright echoed this sentiment, stating, “It’s very intriguing andโ looks likeโ something a kid would want. Everythingโฃ that glitters isn’t gold.”
Doctors strongly advise parents to proactively protect their children by keeping energy drinks out of the home,โ carefully reviewingโข product labels, and โmodeling healthy habits by limiting their ownโค caffeine consumption.Prioritizing children’s โคhealth