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FOOD SAFETY WATCHDOG Safefood has been asked by the Department of Health of review research on the negative health effects of energy drinks.
Research by the World Health Organisation (WHO) this month found that energy drinks will become a significant public health problem if their use among young people is not addressed through a cap on caffeine levels and restrictions on their sale and marketing.
In response to a parliamentary question from TD Billy Kelleher, Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said his department had asked Safefood to consider the current evidence and advise his department.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, who is Safefood’s Director of Human Health & Nutrition, told TheJournal.ie that two main health effects of these drinks have been recorded in research so far:
“Obviously there are other issues as these products are taken with other substances – specifically alcohol or drugs – and that has been implicated in some serious incidents including suicides,” she explained.
She said an option to request that these drinks are not served in bars and clubs alongside alcohol is “in the mix for consideration” but stressed that it is too early to say what the watchdog will be recommending.
Consumption
Research has shown that levels of consumption of these products are high and are on the rise. A European food safety report in 2013 found that 30% of adults consumed these products, with 16-20% of people drinking them four to five times a week.
Previous recommendations by Safefood in 2002 regarding these drinks included a warning to the public that caution should be exercised when consuming them with alcohol. They also recommended that marketing should be “without ambiguity or association with sport,” Foley-Nolan noted.
“I don’t anticipate that they will change,” she said. It is also expected that the watchdog will recommend that these drinks are not consumed by children. Lithuania banned the sale of energy drinks to anyone under 18 earlier this year and has been encouraging other European countries to follow suit.
“Guidelines are different from policy obviously,” Foley-Nolan added. “We will do what we can to clarify matters and I think fair dues as it’s an important issue”.
It is expected that Safefood will pass its recommendations to the department before the end of the year.
Helplines
Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Console 1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)
Aware 1890 303 302 (depression anxiety)
Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie - (suicide, self-harm, bereavement)
Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
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Energy drinks are muck anyway but when you see 6 & 7 year olds bringing lucozade isotonic to school because they are not allowed fizzy drinks you hav3 to wonder about the parent’s ability to parent. A strong direct and hard hitting ad campain is required.
It’s not rocket science ! Some parents need a good dose of cop on these days !
Don’t think isotonic drinks are what’s being talked about here, they’re not loaded with caffiene.
Lucozade is recommended by my daughters diabetic team to treat her low blood glucose. I hope they account for those children who need it for treatment.
Aspartame is a lab built sugar substitute that wasn’t tested correctly and release prematurely by the FDA in the states.
Have (WHO) done an independent research into aspartame, have a suspicion that they are in the pocket of big business anyway.
Google candarell, in relation to its licence granting by the FDA, it set standards that are flawed and still used today.
Aspartame has been deemed safe for human consumption by over 100 regulatory agencies in their respective countries, including the US Food and Drug Administration, UK Food Standards Agency, the European Food Safety Authority and Health Canada. It is safe but has been subject of internet hoaxes. I know I’m going to get a lot of abuse for referencing Wikipedia, but if you check the 85 references at the bottom of the page, you’ll see it’s based on science not fiction, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame
Red bull doesn’t literally give you wings.
Thanks for letting me know. I was just on my way to sue them
Good for lithuania !
All CSDs are muck with no nutritional value. But remember everything in moderation.
More laws! Justifies these idiots salaries.
I think they should put an age limit on selling them was in Glasgow last year and they have an age limit on selling Big Mac you have to be over 16 why not do something like that here
Just drink water ffs!
Blame whatever gets the gov of the hook with their incessant hardship policies on the people of the country
So it’s not the excessive alcohol or drugs which leads to the health problems or suicides! It’s the energy drinks!
Wow, our capacity to ignore the obvious is just startling.
I get your point,but when someone commits suicide it’s not quite clear cut to the reasons why,every avenue should be explored.
Surely making someone pre-disposed to suicide a criminal would make it worse?
And drugs and alcohol making people suicidal is questionable, these people tend to have underlying issues.
That’s all very well but medium rare striploin with sautéed onion, pepper sauce and chunky chips. Mmmmmm.
Sorry. Posted in wrong story. I’m an idiot.
If safefood want to do something, they should demand that ALL ingredients are listed on products and not hidden by converting to energy values.
No don’t ban them. Why make laws to cover up bad parenting.
have your say