Experts warn about harmful effects of energy drinks among Bahrain residents

TDT | Manama                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com  

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

The consumption of energy drinks (ED) is becoming increasingly popular among young Bahrainis, who are seemingly unaware of the health risks associated with ED consumption. Sources say that these drinks are particularly dangerous for adolescents and too much consumption of the drinks can result in high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, anxiety and insomnia.

The study carried out by Dr. Marwa H, Dr. Simone, Dr. Qaher, Dr. Jalal N and Dr. Tariq revealed that energy drinks contain high amounts of caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, vitamins and sugar, which vary, depending on the brand.

Adolescents and young adults have been targeted by energy drink manufacturers with such products being perceived to deliver a combination of stimulants and energy boosters. While a vast majority of the respondents, about 70% had never consumed energy drinks, 14% of the respondents had previously consumed them, and only 16% revealed they were regular consumers of the energy drinks.

38.2% comprising of the young consumers, revealed they had reduced or completely given up on energy drinks as they are aware of its harmful effects on the body. 17% of the respondents disliked its taste, while 21.9% of the consumers said they consumed energy drinks for no reason at all.

The study revealed that the main reasons cited for consuming energy drinks were to reduce fatigue (24.4%), to maintain alertness (20.8%), to enhance academic performance (11.8%), and for seeking pleasure (11.3%).

Consumers cited reasons such as recommendations from family and friends (54.7%), commercial advertisements (15.4%) and aggressive marketing strategies (13.7%) as main sources for being introduced to energy drinks.

Furthermore, taste (41.6%), price (18.0%), and brand popularity (10.1%) were reported to influence the choice of energy drinks among young patrons. As for the main adverse effects of energy drink consumption, 13.0% of consumers reported they had not experienced side effects, while 11.6% noticed an increase in the heart rate.

Overall, the prevalence of energy drink use among Bahraini youth is low, the study noted. Nevertheless, the results highlight the need for rigorous education regarding the use of energy drinks and its probable negative effects on adolescents and young adults.

Ram Shankar, an expat and parent of two children, told The Daily Tribune, “These days energy drinks are a trendy beverage and it’s so evident that they are popular by their visible presence in the cold stores.

They are being sold in the market as other regular health drinks, they can be dangerous because of the ingredients used to prepare them, which are addictive and harmful to health. One should be extremely cautious so as to not make these an alternative to other health drinks, especially while exercising, as the caffeine present in them can cause a dehydrating effect on your body.”

He further adds, “I never let my children drink any such kind of drinks, cold stores should stop selling these products, you never know whether these could interfere with any kind of existing medical conditions and their treatment. He pointed out, that one must always remember to never combine energy drinks with alcohol, as an energy drink is a stimulant, while alcohol is a depressant. One can only imagine the harm that can be caused to the human body.