VIDEO: Another worry about energy drinks in kids

VANCOUVER – At least one of the commercially available energy drinks plays havoc with blood sugar and insulin levels in teen users, according to research from the University of Calgary (Alta.).

Ten teenage boys and ten girls were randomized to one regular “5-hour energy” drink, or, as a control, the decaffeinated version of the product, and then given an oral glucose tolerance test 40 minutes later.

In the second phase, the kids switched over to the drink they didn’t get in the first go-round, and the tolerance testing was repeated. Blood testing was done at baseline and throughout the study.

Investigator Jane Shearer, Ph.D., of the university’s department of biochemistry and molecular biology, explained the results, and why she’s worried about them, in an interview at the World Diabetes Congress.

Five-hour energy is a sugar-free 2-ounce drink containing about 200 mg of caffeine in its regular-strength formulation.

The findings raise another red flag about energy drinks in kids, especially if they are prone to diabetes. Dr. Shearer also shared her thoughts on what to do to address the issue.

[email protected]

VANCOUVER – At least one of the commercially available energy drinks plays havoc with blood sugar and insulin levels in teen users, according to research from the University of Calgary (Alta.).

Ten teenage boys and ten girls were randomized to one regular “5-hour energy” drink, or, as a control, the decaffeinated version of the product, and then given an oral glucose tolerance test 40 minutes later.

In the second phase, the kids switched over to the drink they didn’t get in the first go-round, and the tolerance testing was repeated. Blood testing was done at baseline and throughout the study.

Investigator Jane Shearer, Ph.D., of the university’s department of biochemistry and molecular biology, explained the results, and why she’s worried about them, in an interview at the World Diabetes Congress.

Five-hour energy is a sugar-free 2-ounce drink containing about 200 mg of caffeine in its regular-strength formulation.

The findings raise another red flag about energy drinks in kids, especially if they are prone to diabetes. Dr. Shearer also shared her thoughts on what to do to address the issue.

[email protected]

VANCOUVER – At least one of the commercially available energy drinks plays havoc with blood sugar and insulin levels in teen users, according to research from the University of Calgary (Alta.).

Ten teenage boys and ten girls were randomized to one regular “5-hour energy” drink, or, as a control, the decaffeinated version of the product, and then given an oral glucose tolerance test 40 minutes later.

In the second phase, the kids switched over to the drink they didn’t get in the first go-round, and the tolerance testing was repeated. Blood testing was done at baseline and throughout the study.

Investigator Jane Shearer, Ph.D., of the university’s department of biochemistry and molecular biology, explained the results, and why she’s worried about them, in an interview at the World Diabetes Congress.

Five-hour energy is a sugar-free 2-ounce drink containing about 200 mg of caffeine in its regular-strength formulation.

The findings raise another red flag about energy drinks in kids, especially if they are prone to diabetes. Dr. Shearer also shared her thoughts on what to do to address the issue.

[email protected]