Monday Moaning

I have long been against these ‘energy drinks’ like Red Bull. It is my opinion that they should be banned.

In my perambulations through the blogosphere, I have read nothing good about them, in fact quite the contrary. All medical advice I have read says the same, avoid them.

Caffeine energy drinks ‘intensify heart contractions’

Energy drinks packed with caffeine can change the way the heart beats, researchers warn.

The team from the University of Bonn in Germany imaged the hearts of 17 people an hour after they had an energy drink.

The study showed contractions were more forceful after the drink.

The team told the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America that children and people with some health conditions should avoid the drinks.

Researcher Dr Jonas Dorner said: “Until now, we haven’t known exactly what effect these energy drinks have on the function of the heart.

“The amount of caffeine is up to three times higher than in other caffeinated beverages like coffee or cola.

“There are many side effects known to be associated with a high intake of caffeine, including rapid heart rate, palpitations, rise in blood pressure and, in the most severe cases, seizures or sudden death.”

The researchers gave the participants a drink containing 32mg per 100ml of caffeine and 400mg per 100ml of another chemical, taurine.

Short-term impact

They showed the chamber of the heart that pumps blood around the body, the left ventricle, was contracting harder an hour after the energy drink was taken than at the start of the study.

Dr Dorner added: “We’ve shown that energy drink consumption has a short-term impact on cardiac contractility.

“We don’t know exactly how or if this greater contractility of the heart impacts daily activities or athletic performance.”

The impact on people with heart disease is also unknown.

However, the research team advises that children and people with an irregular heartbeat should avoid the drinks.

The British Soft Drinks Association already says the drinks are not for children.

Opinion:

I read horror stories like:

One in 20 teenage pupils goes to school on a can of energy drink instead of a good breakfast, a survey suggests. – BBCNews

Then stories like this:

Morrisons supermarket has banned children under the age of 16 from buying high caffeine energy drinks. – BBCNews

If supermarkets are imposing bans, then there must be a reason.

Governments are all too ready to ban drugs, but they do nothing when there is a serious health risks; why?

Because the energy drink market is huge, big corporations are involved, which means there is a lot of money to be made.

I go to the supermarket, and see shelves full of the stuff, it makes me snarl.

I can’t understand why people drink the stuff. I had a sip once, it tasted ghastly, it made me want to puke. Now I could understand if it tasted like Coke, or something similar, but it doesn’t.

Here in Brazil I see people of all ages drinking it straight, mixing is with soda or beer or spirits; and I shake my head in wonder, how can you be so stupid?

There is already evidence that energy drinks combined with alcohol cause heart failure, but you never see this reported in the mainstream media, it’s hushed up, it’s a taboo subject, it’s another example of media gagging.

Russia is introducing a ban on drinks contain caffeine and alcohol. “Excessive consumption of energy drinks can harm teenagers, pregnant women and people with cardiac, nerve or blood problems”, the lawmakers said.” – Top News

Now I don’t agree with many things that Russia does, but like their banning microwave ovens in the seventies, now this energy drink ban shows that they do do somethings right.

The “wide awake drunk” is a new danger, statistics show that these people are 4x more likely to think they can drive than a person who has only drunk alcohol.