Typical Ingredients in Energy Drinks:

• Caffeine
• Epigallocatechin Gallate (ECGC)
• Vitamins & Minerals
• List Continues to Grow

Caffeine

• Central nervous system stimulant
• Diuretic?
• Sources:
  • Found naturally in over 60 plants
  • Produced artificially and added to foods
• Does not accumulate in body
  • Metabolized in liver and excreted in urine

Caffeine Intake
Most experts agree that moderate consumption of caffeine is okay. The general recommendation is 200 mg to 300 mg caffeine/day. However, there are exceptions.

• Pregnant women
  • Caffeine crosses the placenta
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests limit 1-2 cups coffee/day
• Breast feeding women
  • Caffeine is transferred to breast milk
  • American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limit 1-3 cups of coffee per day
• Kids
  • Found no U.S. guidelines
  • Canada recommends limiting caffeine to:
    • 63 mg kids aged 7-9 years (~16 oz. caffeinated soda)
    • 85 mg kids aged 10-12 years (~22 oz. caffeinated soda)
• Best to drink milk and water most often
• Caffeine Sensitive Individuals
• Peptic Ulcers
• Coronary Heart Disease
• Medications
• Olympic Athletes

What is an Excessive Intake of Caffeine?

An excessive daily intake of caffeine is the consumption of more that 600mg of caffeine in a 24 hour period. There are many warning signs that too much caffeine has been ingested.

• Fast hear rate
• Excessive urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Restlessness
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Tremors
• Difficultly sleeping

Caffeine Labeling

• Ingredients
  • Caffeine must be listed if it is not naturally occurring in the product
  • Guarana is simply listed as "guarana" although it naturally contains caffeine
• Amount of caffeine in product
• No regulations mandating disclosure of caffeine
• Some major beverage companies do so voluntarily

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