Energy Drinks Part 2

Happy Valentine's Day!  Do you know what you're going to quaff over your romantic dinner tonight?  Hopefully not an energy drink, at least not if you're a child, adolescent or young adult.  Why?  In an review article published online today in Pediatrics, the authors pointed that consumption of these sources of caffeine has been associated with liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory disorders, agitation, seizures, psychotic conditions, rhabdomyolysis, tachycardia, heart failure, and even death.  This doesn't even take into account the more common & unreported nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jitteriness, agitation, and racing heart sensation (w/o documented tachycardia).  These adverse events are a world-wide phenomena reported in Geman, Ireland, and New Zealand, amongst other countries.  In Australia, 5 energy drinks were banned for containing more than 320mg/L caffeine. Both Denmark & Turkey prohibit energy drinks altogether, which I think is overly restrictive.  The solution?  Monitor your children & adolescents (30-50% self-report consumption) and beware of the consequences should you decide to mix yours w/alcohol.  Just saying!