Energy drinks that promise to boost performance and rev up metabolism can contain three to four times as much caffeine as a typical soda, a new study shows.
The concern, researchers say, is that consumers who are vulnerable to the ill effects of caffeine -including children, pregnant women and people with cardiovascular disease - may unknowingly ingest large amounts.
Energy drinks like Red Bull, Red Devil and Sobe "No Fear" typically contain a mix of carbohydrates, B vitamins, amino acids and caffeine. Manufacturers claim the beverages boost physical performance, concentration, metabolism and a blue mood.
So it's not surprising that energy drinks would contain large amounts of caffeine, said study co-author Dr Bruce A. Goldberger of the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville.
Given the danger of high caffeine intake to some people, energy drinks should be required to state their caffeine content clearly, Goldberger and his colleagues argue in their report, published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology.
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