(PCM) A new study has been conducted by the American Heart Association that has revealed that over 40 % of phone calls made to the poison control center are related to the consumption of energy drinks by young children under the age of 6.
In a majority of the cases, the parents were unaware that their children had consumed the energy drink until they became ill. The children were suffering from both cardiac and neurological symptoms and even in some cases seizures and heart rhythm abnormalities.
The amount of pharmaceutical-grade caffeine and natural additive that is contained in many popular energy drink varieties can by up to 300 mg. Adolescents can begin experiencing health problems with only 100 mgs, so therefore with young children even a smaller amount could be damaging.
The study also goes on to say that their research only shows calls that were made to the poison control center referencing energy drink consumption. There are probably many more cases where the parents never called the control center and took their children straight to the doctor and/or emergency room.
Many medical experts have come forward and said that even as adults we need to be more responsible with our energy intake and there are new demands being requested by lawmakers to force the FDA to disclose the drinks caffeine content and health risks on energy drink labels.
The FDA has not made a statement about any type of safe level of caffeine for young children and majority of doctors would prefer that children consume no caffeine at all.
