What's wrong with this picture:
"Lawyers representing the deceased, Alex Morris, contend he consumed at least two 16-ounce cans of Monster's energy drink within the 24 hours prior to his death. "...
Key Words: at least ... two 16-ounce cans... within the 24 hours...
"Kevin Goldberg, one of the lawyers representing Morris, said in a statement. 'We believe that it is important to get the word out to the public, and especially to parents of young people, that energy drinks can be lethal, particularly to anyone with an undiagnosed, underlying heart condition.' "
Okay, how about we "get the word out to the public" that consuming 2 whole 16 ounce cans in less than 24 hours is dangerous. This tragedy is avoidable, but only if lawyers and doctors focus on the source of the problem - consumption practices.
Monster Energy Slapped With Another Wrongful Death Suit
Health Canada and the FDA use 400 milligrams per day as the maximum caffeine dosage determined safe, but that's the dosage PER DAY, for HEALTHY adults. Children and adolescents should not consume half this much caffeine, and NO ONE should consume this much caffeine in less than 6 hours, which is the maximum length of time it takes half the caffeine dose to break down (the "half-life").
One 16-ounce can of Monster Energy (the green one or "full-powered" one as I'd call it) contains 160 milligrams of caffeine. Monster Energy Caffeine Levels Consuming two of those in less than 24 hours still puts one around the maximum daily dosage, but 320 milligrams of caffeine in less than 6 hours still puts a lot of stress on the heart.
It's unclear whether the deceased had any preexisting condition but I'm afraid that if we keep putting the blame on the product and ignore consumption practices, these tragedies will keep happening.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Why You Could Get Carded for Buying a V8
The American Medical Association has come out in support of a ban on energy drink sales to those under age 18. While many people agree that minors and adolescents are more sensitive to caffeine than adults, many more are disappointed that AMA's actions imply turning 19 means your body becomes invincible to caffeine toxicity, or worse, that ALL SO-CALLED ENERGY DRINKS ARE THE SAME.
“Energy drinks contain massive and excessive amounts of caffeine that may lead to a host of health problems in young people, including heart problems, and banning companies from marketing these products to adolescents is a common sense action that we can take to protect the health of American kids,” said AMA board member Alexander Ding, MD.
Read the AMA release here:
AMA Adopts New Policies on Second Day of Voting at Annual Meeting
True, the AMA is proposing a ban on marketing to minors, which is different than banning the sale of energy drinks to minors. Yet a close look at Dr. Ding's language in the quote above betrays the intent to keep minors from consuming these drinks at all. That would certainly make Senators Dick Durban and Richard Blumenthal happy. It's easy to agree with a ban on marketing to minors, but prohibiting the sale all together is one step too far considering the implications and complications that would ensue.
While the AMA's position is not legally binding, their opinions do carry some weight in Washington. The FDA is currently reviewing the dangers and consumption practices of energy drinks among minors, but their findings will not carry any weight unless the following single step takes place:
RE-DEFINE OR RECLASSIFY THE TERM "ENERGY DRINK"!
Heath Canada was ahead of the curve when they did this reclassification, basically saying, "We don't care if your product is technically a 'Natural Health Product' or a 'stimulant-containing drink' or whatever-else, but if the product has caffeine it is hereby and henceforth called a food, and you're not allowed to add more than 180 milligrams of caffeine to an 8-ounce product or 400 milligrams caffeine per liter."
Boom. Done. Problem solved.
In the US, the term "energy drink" is misleading because a caffeinated product might be labeled a food/beverage or as a supplement - each category has different regulations to abide by.
This Nutrition Business Journal article from New Hope 360 explains why Health Canada's move was so effective and brilliant:
Still, the rules are nothing to sneeze at. Not only do they put strict control over manufacturing and labeling, but they also clear up nomenclature issues by putting energy drinks under one clear designation as food. In the United States, on the other hand, energy drinks can either be labeled as a food—in the case of Red Bull—or a dietary supplement—in the case of Monster and 5-Hour Energy. These criss-crossing definitions impede blanket action.
Ode to Health Canada: Capping and Reclassifying Caffeine
If the FDA would just take a page from Health Canada's playbook and reclassify all caffeinated products as food/beverages, it would be easier to issue a caffeine limit per serving. That would protect everyone, not just those under age 18. Instead of telling kids energy drinks are "forbidden" (because minors LOVE it when you tell them they're not allowed to do something), how about first reclassify anything and everything with caffeine in it as a food/beverage product, then cap the amount of caffeine "from all sources" to 180 milligrams, like Health Canada? Boom. Done.
Banning all "energy drinks" sales to minors is poor attempt at fixing the real problem of caffeine toxicity: Why? Because BOTH V8 V-Fusion Energy and Red Bull are "energy drinks" and both contain 80 milligrams of caffeine:
http://vfusionplusenergy.com/FAQ/
http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/red-bull
Are all "energy drinks" dangerous? No - the caffeine in them can be (at certain amounts). Let's focus on the REAL issue, shall we?
“Energy drinks contain massive and excessive amounts of caffeine that may lead to a host of health problems in young people, including heart problems, and banning companies from marketing these products to adolescents is a common sense action that we can take to protect the health of American kids,” said AMA board member Alexander Ding, MD.
Read the AMA release here:
AMA Adopts New Policies on Second Day of Voting at Annual Meeting
True, the AMA is proposing a ban on marketing to minors, which is different than banning the sale of energy drinks to minors. Yet a close look at Dr. Ding's language in the quote above betrays the intent to keep minors from consuming these drinks at all. That would certainly make Senators Dick Durban and Richard Blumenthal happy. It's easy to agree with a ban on marketing to minors, but prohibiting the sale all together is one step too far considering the implications and complications that would ensue.
While the AMA's position is not legally binding, their opinions do carry some weight in Washington. The FDA is currently reviewing the dangers and consumption practices of energy drinks among minors, but their findings will not carry any weight unless the following single step takes place:
RE-DEFINE OR RECLASSIFY THE TERM "ENERGY DRINK"!
Heath Canada was ahead of the curve when they did this reclassification, basically saying, "We don't care if your product is technically a 'Natural Health Product' or a 'stimulant-containing drink' or whatever-else, but if the product has caffeine it is hereby and henceforth called a food, and you're not allowed to add more than 180 milligrams of caffeine to an 8-ounce product or 400 milligrams caffeine per liter."
Boom. Done. Problem solved.
In the US, the term "energy drink" is misleading because a caffeinated product might be labeled a food/beverage or as a supplement - each category has different regulations to abide by.
This Nutrition Business Journal article from New Hope 360 explains why Health Canada's move was so effective and brilliant:
Still, the rules are nothing to sneeze at. Not only do they put strict control over manufacturing and labeling, but they also clear up nomenclature issues by putting energy drinks under one clear designation as food. In the United States, on the other hand, energy drinks can either be labeled as a food—in the case of Red Bull—or a dietary supplement—in the case of Monster and 5-Hour Energy. These criss-crossing definitions impede blanket action.
Ode to Health Canada: Capping and Reclassifying Caffeine
If the FDA would just take a page from Health Canada's playbook and reclassify all caffeinated products as food/beverages, it would be easier to issue a caffeine limit per serving. That would protect everyone, not just those under age 18. Instead of telling kids energy drinks are "forbidden" (because minors LOVE it when you tell them they're not allowed to do something), how about first reclassify anything and everything with caffeine in it as a food/beverage product, then cap the amount of caffeine "from all sources" to 180 milligrams, like Health Canada? Boom. Done.
Banning all "energy drinks" sales to minors is poor attempt at fixing the real problem of caffeine toxicity: Why? Because BOTH V8 V-Fusion Energy and Red Bull are "energy drinks" and both contain 80 milligrams of caffeine:
http://vfusionplusenergy.com/FAQ/
http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/red-bull
Are all "energy drinks" dangerous? No - the caffeine in them can be (at certain amounts). Let's focus on the REAL issue, shall we?
Friday, June 14, 2013
Lessons from the Father of Toxicology - The Dose Makes All the Difference
What do you get when you hold a steak knife and garlic salt? A-salt with a deadly weapon.
What happens when you drink a quart of soy sauce on a dare? You could die.
Paracelsus, the "Father of Toxicology" said the dose makes the poison. Actually, in German he said, "Alle Ding' sind Gift, und nichts ohn' Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist," which means "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; only the dose permits something not to be poisonous."
The band Circa Survive said it best: The Difference Between Medicine and Poison is in the Dose.
This story is covered in the article by Food Product Design: Teen nearly dies from soy sauce overdose
This article covers the biological fallout from overdosing on salt, but if science is not your forte, no worries - the key takeaway is the understanding that whether it's water (remember that "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest?) or caffeine or salt, anything can hurt you at the wrong amounts.
What happens when you drink a quart of soy sauce on a dare? You could die.
Paracelsus, the "Father of Toxicology" said the dose makes the poison. Actually, in German he said, "Alle Ding' sind Gift, und nichts ohn' Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist," which means "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; only the dose permits something not to be poisonous."
The band Circa Survive said it best: The Difference Between Medicine and Poison is in the Dose.
This story is covered in the article by Food Product Design: Teen nearly dies from soy sauce overdose
This article covers the biological fallout from overdosing on salt, but if science is not your forte, no worries - the key takeaway is the understanding that whether it's water (remember that "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest?) or caffeine or salt, anything can hurt you at the wrong amounts.
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