I try not to make a habit of it, but I've been known to have a couple of energy drinks on days when I didn't get enough sleep. Now there's a really great reason to stop my bad habit, though: a Maryland teenager went into cardiac arrest after drinking two 24-ounce energy drinks in December, dying just 6 days later.
Don't believe that a simple energy drink can kill you? Well, the official cause of death has just been released and, according to 14-year-old Anais Fournier's death certificate, the girl died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity after guzzling 480 milligrams of caffeine from the energy drinks.
Read more ¿Qué más? The surprising food behind urinary tract infections
How much caffeine is that exactly? According to TODAY Health, the young girl drank the caffeine equivalent of 14 cans of Coke—nearly 5 times the amount of caffeine as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Although Monster, who made the energy drinks Anais had, denies that drinking would cause toxicity, health experts are warning against kids having energy drinks. Dr. Allen Taylor, chief of cardiology at Georgetown University Hospital explains:
"Between the caffeine, the sugar, its effects on blood pressure, potential adverse effects, I think it's really difficult to justify a case for children, young adults to be using these substances right now."
Want to find other moms como tú? "Like" MamásLatinas on Facebook!
After this news, I am definitely going to watch my energy drink consumption. But more than that, I am going to make sure that none of the children or teens in my life are drinking them. If this is what happens, then we all need to be careful. Nobody wants caffeine toxicity.
Do you drink energy drinks or let your kids have them?
Image via NBC Today
