Caffeine drinks may hurt teens

BY JOHN HARTEVELT

Teenagers guzzling caffeine drinks might be causing themselves long-term damage, research shows.

A Canterbury University master's project by Nika Anderson investigated the effects of caffeine consumption on adolescent brain development in rats.

During middle and later adulthood, the 27 male and 27 female rats treated with caffeine were "probably more emotionally reactive" than the untreated control rats.

They were less mobile and defecated and urinated more than the other rats.

"Overall, the results suggest that exposure to caffeine during adolescence produces some small but significant increases in emotionality in adulthood," the study said.

The findings "may have clinical implications", because it was possible that adolescents exposed to caffeine would also show increased anxiety later in life.

A further study this year had raised concern about energy drinks having a high potential to cause acute caffeine toxicity.

"With the variety of caffeinated products on the market today, and the increasing number of adolescents consuming these products, understanding the effects caffeine may have on this population seems to be important."

Green MP Sue Kedgley said energy drinks had become a teenage addiction.

"What we are doing is encouraging a generation of kids to be addicted to these energy drinks without having any knowledge of the long-term or even short-term effects," Kedgley said.

A Wellington schoolgirl last month collapsed and needed to be treated by paramedics after she drank a high-powered energy drink bought from a dairy opposite her school.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is investigating the legality of an "energy shot" drink with twice the caffeine of an average cup of coffee.

Public health nutritionist Bronwen King said too much caffeine could increase calcium excretion, compromising bone growth.

"This puts heavy users at risk of osteoporosis later in life," King said.

"As well, it affects concentration of kids in the classroom, thus compromising learning and cognitive development."

King said it was easy for manufacturers of energy drinks to "blatantly target" adolescents.

"The fact that kids feel the need for mind or body-altering substances is perhaps the bigger concern that needs investigating," she said.

"Energy drinks are also high in sugar and kilojoules that are not easily burned off and therefore contribute further to overweight and obesity."

Kedgley said the amount of caffeine legally allowed in drinks should be lowered and the NZFSA should enforce the limit.

"You would think if they were genuinely concerned about our children's health they would be looking at the research and discussing what we can do to restrict these drinks from children," Kedgley said.

A minimum legal age for energy drinks would be too difficult to enforce but schools at least should be banned from selling them.

"Caffeine is, after all, a drug, and I think there are real concerns about some of our kids getting far too much excess caffeine."

Christchurch 13-year-old Shinei De Beer said she drank two energy drinks every day.

"The first can is just to get started," she said.

Most of her friends drank energy drinks daily.

She preferred the 500 millilitre cans of Mother or Relentless.

"I do have lows after I don't drink caffeine for about two days, but it goes away," Shinei said.

The drinks were very expensive, costing her about $25 a week.

- © Fairfax NZ News