Friday, July 11, 2008

Red Bull gives you.....



....wings? So says the advert.

Not so, say researchers at the State University of Buffalo, New York. Red Bull and other high caffeine drinks are more likely to give you 'toxic jock syndrome'. Sounds quite unpleasant and something you might want to see a medic about.


If you needed something else to worry about in relation to your teens, read on.


In a paper published in the Journal of American College Health in March, it is reported that high consumption of these kind of energy drinks can result in risky and aggressive behaviours including violence, unprotected sex and substance abuse. While the study doesn't demonstrate causality between drinking energy drinks and bad behaviours, the study author, Dr. Miller, points out that those heavily into drinking energy drinks are the ones more inclined toward risk-taking.


Of course, it could also be that those more inclined to this kind of behaviour in the first place are simply the same people who buy more of this kind of drink.


A catchy name, I guess the 'toxic jock' label resulted from the fact that the study was based on athletes. Plenty of women indulge in these kind of drinks, many for the desired side effect of weight loss, believing such drinks speed up the metabolism. Syndrome suggestions people?


There is no doubt that over consumption of these drinks can have some nasty side effects, including irregular heart beat and there have been stories of people hospitalised as a consequence of overindulgence. Like everything else, moderation is key.




7 comments:

shrink on the couch said...

Toxic Jock, huh? Great name! I've been wondering about the ill effects of this rash of high caffeinated drinks on the market. Can't be a good thing. PHysically or emotionall.

I was recently at a tourist spot. Saw a man and his two sons, approx 7 and 10 yrs old. All three were slugging down Jolt drinks. What was this man thinking?!?

shrink on the couch said...

Jolt is another brand of high caff drinks, btw.

Oh and another trend, hi-caff drinks plus alcohol. Beer plus Red Bull, for example. Again, not a good trend. I'm thinking, more bar fights and more driving wrecks.

Anonymous said...

I was reading a forum discussion the other day, and several people were talking about Diet Red Bull and Grey Goose. Ugh. How can people drink this stuff?

Donna

Dr. Deb said...

I see this with many of the teens I work with.

Alison said...

You just have to have one of them to know there's something in the beverage that exists in no other drink. Definitely: moderation.

SeaSpray said...

one of my son's friends is on the 1st aid squad and drinks these red bull etc, all the time.

Interesting post!

Me? i am just happy with my little ol' coffee. :)

Awake In Rochester said...

Hey, you quoited my neighbor Buffalo NY!

I work the night shift sometimes, and I know that many drink caffeine to stay awake. A nurse that I know can drink several cups of coffee, and several caffeine drinks a night. Come to think of it she acts of edge all the time.