A food technologist with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Dr Adewale Obadina has warned that energy drinks are not what people think they are as they also contain alcohol.
Speaking in Lagos recently, Obadina called for the regulation of the sales and consumption of energy drinks to stem the rising cases of cardiac arrest associated with too much consumption of caffeine in the energy drinks.
The caffeine content in these energy drinks may be different depending on the manufacturer’s taste but who regulates them, most especially when the caffeine content is much higher than in regular coffee.
“These drinks need strict regulation like what we have in the advanced world. We should not say because people have a right to consume anything they like then, we stop educating them.”
He said the sale and consumption of energy drinks was alarming as most youths now preferred taking stimulants for their daily schedule.
Obadina decried the use of energy drinks as official drinks at different occasions in spite of the fact that it contains variety of ingredients considered harmful to the body.
“Even, energy drinks are banned in some sporting events because it contains stimulants considered to be dangerous to human health and the same energy drinks are being served freely at parties. The most dangerous ingredients found in energy drinks is caffeine with other stimulants such as guarana, ginkgo, ginseng, taurine, also plenty of sugar and vitamins,” he said.
Obadina said that medical research had long revealed the dangers of heart diseases and even cardiac arrest in connection with excessive caffeine consumption.
“There is a grave danger of caffeine intoxication which is sharply on the rise, especially among the young ones in the country. The articulated lorry drivers and night shift workers now operate under the influence of power drinks; unfortunately, energy drinks are not what they think it is as they also contain alcohol.
“Mixing stimulants with depressants can be a dangerous combination, and it’s not a healthy lifestyle though they make one feel alert and energised,” he said.
Obadina called on the government to instruct the manufacturers of energy drinks to as a matter of regulation ensure that active ingredients in energy drinks were contained on its leaflets.
“Clinical studies had in time past warned on the potential dangers in energy drinks; likewise, they recommended that the drink should specify in the label the dangers of addiction to the drink. Manufacturers should list the amount of caffeine along with other ingredients in their products. Doing this will significantly impact on the behaviour of the consumers, at least, nobody can say he has not received a fair warning,” Obadina said.
