Watch CBS News

Public Health Officials Want More Regulation Of Energy Drinks

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Energy drinks promise to pump us up with a just a few sips. They continue to grow in popularity, and that concerns public health officials.

These drinks are considered supplements, not beverages. That means many of them are not regulated like other food products. That lack of oversight comes at a time when a number of people say they are having adverse reactions to energy drinks.

Steve Popson, now 27 years old, has a defibrillator for his heart. He believes this is the result of a chronic dependence on energy drinks. He often drank four to five a day.

"I never thought one thing about it," he said.

Then one day he had trouble breathing and was really struggling for air. He ended up in the ICU for two weeks and was put on a breathing machine. Popson thought he was going to die.

"I cried. I mean, I have two kids," Popson said.

Marcia Richards, a registered dietitian at Beth Israel Deaconess Plymouth, said the cumulative effect of drinking a large volume of energy drinks can have "a severe negative effect".

Richards is seeing more and more people rely on these products for a quick pick me up and she doesn't like it.

Most of these drinks are jammed with extra caffeine, supplements like ginseng and guarana, and amino acids like taurine.

"The synergy between taurine and caffeine . . . is said to improve athletic performance and perhaps attention, but it also has a strong effect on cardiac function," explained Richards.

Poison control centers now have codes to track exposure to energy drinks. Between January and the end of July, they logged 1675 calls for adverse reactions to energy drinks. 998 involved young people.

A soda container can look a lot like an energy drink. There can be a very important difference, however. A soda is a beverage so it is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Energy drinks are considered supplements which means they are not required to be tested in the same manner.

Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey believes this is a public health threat. He is particularly concerned about how these drinks are marketed to young people. His office recently issued a report on the topic.

"They should just stop their marketing on social media to kids," said Markey. "We know that these companies are using that media in ways to attract more kids to use their product."

Markey compared the situation to the use of Joe Camel to sell cigarettes a generation ago.

The American Beverage Association maintains energy drinks have been consumed safely for years. In a statement, they added that "Leading energy drink manufacturers go far beyond all federal requirements when it comes to labeling and education."

Scott Popson doesn't think that is enough.

"My 7 year old can walk into a mini mart or gas station, go to the freezer and grab drink and pay for it, and drink it," he said.

Companies are now being asked to voluntarily suspend sales to anyone under 18, and curtail advertising to young people.

If they don't comply, the federal government may step in.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.