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Millions of Americans enjoy sipping a soda or guzzling a canned energy beverage each day. But these drinks are often loaded with caffeine and can give an unhealthy pick-me-up to unsuspecting consumers.
Now a University of Florida toxicologist is calling for cold beverage labels to list caffeine content. The recommendation comes in the wake of tests involving nineteen popular carbonated sodas and ten energy drinks in the lab, and concerns over caffeine’s potential health risks. Although coffee is still king when it comes to caffeine kick per ounce, results revealed high-octane energy drinks pack quite a wallop. In fact, some exceeded the federal daily recommended level per serving for caffeine intake. And while popular sodas had only one-third to one-half as much caffeine as energy drinks, caffeine intake from drinking several a day can still add up. Researchers say the surprisingly high caffeine content could cause anxiety, palpitations and irritability, not to mention stomach complaints and difficulty sleeping.
Dr. Bruce Goldberger / UF forensics expert
“People don’t actually consider, I believe, the caffeine content in the beverage, so with this study we have some level of enlightenment on the level of caffeine in the beverage, and thus I think there should be some warning.”
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Because drink packaging doesn’t indicate the amount of caffeine contained in cold beverages, U-F researchers warn consumers might unknowingly ingest too much. Pregnant women, children, and adults with hypertension, heart disease or mental health ailments such as an anxiety disorder could be especially sensitive to caffeine’s effects. That’s why U-F experts are suggesting the beverage industry disclose caffeine content on drink labels, so consumers can gauge their intake of the stimulant. The scientists advocate a listing in milligrams of caffeine per serving, similar to how calories per serving are currently listed on all beverage containers.
Dr. Bruce Goldberger / UF forensics expert
“I think many people are sensitive to the amount of caffeine they drink because of what they’ve read about caffeine in the press…the pros and cons…the effects of caffeine. So I think people would be very interested in knowing the amount of caffeine in their beverage.”
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At the University of Florida Health Science Center, I’m Mike Garrison
