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COPYRIGHT 2005 Australian Consumers' Association
They're fizzy drinks with a difference. RED BULL "vitalizes body and mind ', v "invigorates you, replenishes energy levels, improves mental alertness and enhances concentration", BLUE OX "increases strength and stamina" and NAUGHTY BOY will "energise your body" and "enliven your mind".
What most of them in fact do is give you a caffeine fix with plenty of sugar.
AWESOME!
Most energy drinks come in a trendy can. Their funky brand names exude youth-appeal: RED BULL, DARE, NAUGHTY BOY, WILD NRG ... And while these drinks may be aimed primarily at young adults, they also appeal to children.
Even five years ago, when sales of energy drinks were less than 20% of what they are now, an Australian survey found that 27% of boys aged 8-12 had consumed high-caffeine energy drinks in the previous two weeks. And some teenagers said they were having up to five cans of energy drink before sporting events.
As a parent, you probably wouldn't normally want your children to drink strong coffee or tea because there are concerns that caffeine isn't good for kids. These drinks have similar or even higher caffeine levels, so five of them is a lot of caffeine.
CAFFEINE CONCERNS
Caffeine's OK for adults in moderate amounts: four or five average-strength cups of coffee or their equivalent a day won't harm most people. But it's a powerful stimulant and has measurable effects even at very low 'doses'. Even half a cup of tea can be enough to increase your energy, alertness, motivation level and concentration.
The effects of caffeine differ from person to person, depending on age, body size and general health. Most adults can safely take in about 300 mg of caffeine a day. Very high levels (that's 1000 mg a day--equivalent to 11-12 cups of strong coffee) can be harmful....
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