What happens if children drink energy drinks? At what age can you buy energy drinks?
A few years ago, energy drinks became fashionable. Funny advertisement, attractive design packaging, attractive names - all this contributes to the growing popularity of these drinks. You often see young people with a bright can in their hand, or even 8-10 year old children, sipping an energy drink. In most cases, parents are not even interested and sometimes are not aware that their children consume energy drinks. And if they are aware, then - “What’s wrong? Let him drink. This is not vodka.”
Yes, energy drink is not vodka, but this does not mean that it is safe. On the label, the composition of an energy drink may look like “caffeine, taurine, glucose, B vitamins.” So what? - everything is natural, natural, and vitamins are generally good - why not drink? In order to find out all the ins and outs of energy drinks, you need to understand what the main components of these drinks are.
Sucrose And glucose give the drink a sweet, attractive taste. Sucrose is ordinary sugar (disaccharide), glucose is a monosaccharide that takes an active part in metabolism. By the way, sucrose, which is more complex in its structure, is broken down in the body, among other things. for glucose.
Caffeine- a well-known psychostimulant. In terms of its structure, it is an alkaloid that is found in tea, coffee, guarana, cola nuts and many other plants. However, more often it is synthesized chemically. Caffeine relieves the feeling of fatigue, gives vigor, increases performance (especially mental performance), accelerates the pulse and increases blood pressure. The invigorating effect of caffeine lasts about 3 hours. Large doses lead to depletion of nerve cells. Caffeine affects the heart muscle, increasing its contractions, so after using caffeine, blood pressure may “jump.” Some people experience heart pain when taking caffeine. Also, many note that after taking caffeine they initially felt good, but after a while the condition was much worse than before (the elimination period of caffeine is long, repeated use can cause an overdose). There is a desire to drink energy again. All this leads to a rapidly developing addiction to caffeine - caffeineism.
Side effects caffeine - insomnia, irritability and excitability, high blood pressure, arrhythmias.
Theobromine- a substance similar in structure to caffeine, but has a weaker effect in comparison with it. Isolated from cocoa.
Taurine– a substance obtained from the amino acid cysteine. Synthesized in the human body and found in foods. In medicine it is used as part of eye drops. Taurine itself is necessary for proper operation nervous, immune system, regulates the metabolism of fats and calcium. The energizing properties of taurine have been studied in mice, but not in humans. The use of large doses of taurine has not been described.
Glucuronolactone– a substance obtained during the transformation of glucose in the body. According to available data, it does not have a psychostimulating effect. Energy drinks contain this substance in a dose that exceeds normal daily production by 250-500 times. The effect of such huge doses has also not been studied.
L-carnitine– a substance obtained by the interaction of the amino acids lysine and methionine. In medicine it is used for nervous and physical exhaustion, anorexia, after serious illnesses (heart attack, stroke). A normal healthy body does not need additional L-carnitine. The effect of this substance in high doses has also not been studied.
B vitamins– necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system. By themselves, they do not have a psychostimulating effect. Often cause allergic reactions.
Guarana– a natural psychostimulant. It contains many organic substances, the main one of which is caffeine. By the way, a synonym for caffeine is guaranine.
Ginseng– a natural stimulant. Designed to help fight fatigue and improve performance. Side effects are similar to caffeine.
It also contains dyes, flavors, preservatives, flavor enhancers and other substances that accompany sweet drinks.
So, the effect of an energy drink is that it does not give energy from the outside, but forces the cells of our body to give up the latter. A certain deception occurs: a person is filled with energy, it seems to him that he can move mountains, but in fact his condition is approaching exhaustion. What if a child drank the energy drink? Every year, several deaths are recorded around the world that are associated specifically with the use of energy drinks. But not a single manufacturer has yet been punished: after all, people use energy drinks of their own free will, as is expected, after weighing all the pros and cons.
In some European countries, in particular Denmark and Norway, energy workers are classified as medicines and you can only buy them at the pharmacy. Recently, Russia has also started thinking about this; the State Duma is considering the issue of classifying energy drinks, if not as medicines, then as alcohol.
This information is enough to understand: an energy drink is not just tasty water. This is a stimulant drug, and quite powerful. But not only that. The effect of many components included in these drinks in large doses has simply not been studied.
You can’t just drink energy drinks whenever you want. You can't drink it every day. It should not be drunk by persons under 18 years of age (!) - it is important for parents to remember this. Also at risk are the elderly, hypertensive patients, pregnant women, people with increased excitability, those who suffer from insomnia, cardiovascular disorders and those who are allergic to B vitamins.
The main danger lies in the effect that the energy drink has on the body. From this point of view, herbal energy drinks, often presented by manufacturers as absolutely natural and completely safe, are no different from those that contain chemical substances. They act on a person in the same way - using the whip method.
Caring parents not only do not buy energy drinks for their children themselves, but also explain what their use can lead to, so that their children do not succumb to temptation and do not buy them with pocket money. Of course, sometimes it’s difficult to give in to a whining child, especially under the pressure of arguments “They buy Vasya and nothing.” However, the issue of energy drink consumption is one of those issues that requires integrity, just like smoking and drinking alcohol.
At what age can you drink energy drinks in Russia in 2019? Difference between regional and regional laws. Responsibility for violation.
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The modern rhythm of life leads to the need for constant activity of the body. But it’s not always possible to stay in good shape.
Therefore, most people resort to additional means of stimulating the body. One example is energy drinks.
Important aspects
Caffeine is the main active ingredient of plant origin in tonic drinks. It is contained in:
- coffee beans;
- tea leaf;
- cocoa beans;
- mate;
- guarana;
- cola;
- and other plants.
In nature he plays protective function for the above-mentioned plants, repelling pests and attracting pollinators.
This substance acts on humans and animals as a psychotropic, stimulating the central nervous system.
It has the following effects on the body:
- dilation of blood vessels in the brain, heart, kidneys;
- increases urination;
- reduces the level of platelet aggregation;
- increases cardiac activity;
- etc.
In this regard, it is actively used for medical purposes. It is used for headaches, migraines, as a cardiac stimulant, to eliminate drowsiness and increase brain activity.
But this can only be done as prescribed by a doctor, since such effects can cause harm to the same extent as benefit.
Based on the individual indicators of the body, the doctor prescribes a dosage that should not exceed the following indicators:
The daily intake of caffeine, which is harmless to the human body without disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous system, is 1 g.
The above dosages are prescribed for adults only. Caffeine-containing medications are extremely rarely prescribed to children under 18 years of age.
But, unfortunately, everyone has the opportunity to consume this substance through a variety of drinks.
Required terms
An energy drink is a cocktail that contains elements that affect the psychotropic system of the body, toning it. The composition usually includes caffeine.
There are two types of tonic drinks:
They affect the body in different ways.
What is the purpose of the restriction?
As mentioned above, the main active ingredient in tonic drinks, popularly referred to as “energy drinks,” is caffeine. Its effect on the body has already been discussed earlier.
But as you know, this element is also found in other common drinks, such as tea or cocoa, which are not only allowed, but are also recommended for use by children.
The problem with energy drinks is not the presence of caffeine, but its quantity. IN in this case the amount of the substance significantly exceeds the norm, and in combination with other substances it negative action increases significantly.
The presence of large amounts of sugar can lead to an excess of glucose in the body. The components are absorbed from the blood much faster due to carbon dioxide, which allows you to get a tonic effect much faster.
But such an effect on the cardiovascular and central nervous system leads to its rapid wear and tear.
According to doctors, as a consequence, patients receive insomnia, rapid fatigue and exhaustion of the body, lethargy and fatigue.
As is known, it was not possible to experimentally determine the effect of drinks on children’s bodies, since in order to prevent accidents, experts refused to conduct testing.
The ban in Russia on the sale of energy drinks was introduced similar to the security measures for citizens adopted in other states.
The reason for this was mass poisoning from a drink that either contained alcohol or was consumed together with it. The first cases were recorded in the United States in 2010–2011.
The bulk of the victims were students. In 2016, a case of death of a teenager aged 16 from excessive consumption of tonic drinks was also recorded in the United States.
Another reason for limiting sales is that the drink has serious contraindications, which are based on medical diagnoses, such as:
- hypertension;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- arterial hypertension;
- glaucoma;
- sleep disturbance;
- increased excitability;
- sensitivity to caffeine.
Despite the fact that information about this and that the drink is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children and people with increased nervous excitability, people belonging to these categories continue to drink, risking their own health.
Legal grounds
A ban on the sale of energy drinks was introduced, according to which people under a certain age are prohibited from selling energy drinks that contain alcohol.
Based on this bill, local authorities of most regions Russian Federation it was decided to minimize the level of consumption of energy drinks as hazardous to health.
Therefore, in many areas there are regional laws restricting the sale of energy drinks, regardless of the presence or absence of alcoholic substances in their composition.
For violation of the norms specified in the above regulations, a punishment is provided, which is regulated.
At what age can you legally drink energy drinks?
Most often, the question of how old it is to sell energy drinks legally in Russia arises among distributors. The answer depends on the type of product, as well as the location of the trading activity.
Alcoholic
The sale of energy drinks containing alcohol is regulated by federal authorities.
The main document that regulates restrictions on the sale of products in this category is the Federal Law “On the circulation of energy drinks.”
Based on this law, energy drinks, like other alcoholic drinks, are strictly prohibited from being sold in educational and medical institutions.
Stores that sell them must have a separate area for their placement. Sellers are required to label the product as containing alcohol and caffeine.
In addition, the legislation limits the circle of persons who have the right to make purchases.
That is, persons under 18 years of age do not have the right to purchase an alcoholic energy drink.
Sellers who sell goods to persons under this age incur administrative penalties, which will be discussed below.
To avoid violation of the law, the seller, as responsible person has the right to refuse the sale of an energy drink if the buyer does not present a document confirming his identity and age or if, according to this document, he has not reached the age of majority.
Non-alcoholic
According to federal law, there is no age limit for purchasing soft drinks.
But since energy drinks have a detrimental effect on the health of children, the introduction of a ban on their sale is initiated by municipal authorities through regional laws. To date, such bans are provided in 38 regions.
Manufacturers, as well as distributors of this product, sought to challenge the legality of such actions by local authorities, since the ban on the sale of goods is the exclusive right of federal authorities.
But the Ministry of Justice put an end to this issue, which, having considered all the complaints, issued a ruling that the actions of officials regarding restricting the sale of dangerous goods are completely legal.
In this regard, before entering into a dispute with sellers, you need to make sure that there is no such law in your region.
Under most legislative acts that regulate restrictions on the sale of energy drinks, products classified in this category are prohibited from being distributed in children's educational and medical institutions.
At the point of sale, they must be identified as a separate group and labeled with a high dosage of caffeine. But the most important thing is the ban on the sale of energy drinks to persons under 18 years of age.
Video: what will be sold to teenagers
In this regard, if you are required to present documents when purchasing products of this category, sellers act within the framework of the law.
Therefore, at what age can you sell energy drinks to children you can only find out by reading the regional legislation.
Consequences for violators
Violation of the rules established by the Law “On the Trade in Energy Drinks” is an administrative violation. Therefore, punishment for unlawful acts is provided for by the Code of Administrative Offenses in the form of a fine.
It is imposed on the implementer. The company bears liability in the amount of 30 to 50 thousand rubles.
In this case, the penalty is determined separately from those who directly violated this law. The fine for sellers ranges from 10 to 20 thousand rubles.
This punishment is provided for the sale of tonic drinks to persons under 18 years of age.
Do not forget that the law provides for restrictions not only on the circle of buyers of energy drinks, but also on the place of sale.
In case of violation, the institution in whose territory unauthorized trade is carried out pays a fine in the amount of 20 to 40 thousand rubles, and up to 10 thousand rubles are charged from sellers.
Consumers are also responsible for consuming an alcoholic tonic drink in the wrong place and are subject to a fine of 2 to 3 thousand rubles.
All of the above preventive measures are provided for in the case of the sale of tonic drinks that contain alcohol. They operate equally throughout the Russian Federation.
Regarding the preventive measure for violating restrictions on the trade of non-alcoholic tonic drinks, the rules determined by municipal authorities on the basis of regional laws apply.
At what age are you legally allowed to buy energy drinks? and got the best answer
Answer from Siprei_DV[guru]
No matter what age you shouldn’t drink them!)
In Europe, particularly in Denmark, Norway and France, the sale of energy drinks is allowed only in pharmacies. In Russia, there are restrictions on the sale of energy drinks: sales in schools are prohibited, restrictions must be stated on the labels and side effects.
There have been precedents for litigation with energy drink companies. So, in Ireland, an athlete died right during training after three cans of energy drinks. In Sweden, several teenagers died at a discotheque. They mixed an energy drink and alcohol.
Source: EU Leaders
Answer from 2 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: at what age can you legally buy energy drinks?
Answer from Victressy[guru]
from 18, because in many there is alcohol
Answer from Derlyuk Anton[guru]
Non-alcoholic from five, Alcoholic - from 21 or 18. At the discretion of the store.
Answer from Toon[newbie]
In Russia, by law, from any age. Recommended for use from 18 years of age. The only thing I don’t know about Shots is that it’s a dietary supplement..
Answer from Mark Monomakh[guru]
Energy drinks can be consumed in strict accordance with the dosage. The maximum dose is 2 cans of drink per day. Exceeding the dose may result in increased blood pressure or blood sugar levels.
Energy drinks are officially banned in France, Denmark and Norway, where they are sold only in pharmacies as they are considered medicine. Swedish authorities recently launched an investigation into 3 deaths allegedly caused by energy drink consumption.
The vitamins found in energy drinks cannot replace a multivitamin.
People suffering from heart disease, hypotension or hypertension should not consume energy drinks.
The claim that an energy drink provides the body with energy is unfounded. The contents of the treasured jar only open the way to the internal reserves of the body, i.e., it serves as a key, or rather, a master key. In other words, the drink itself does not contain any energy, but only uses our own. Thus, we use our own energy resources, in other words, we borrow energy from ourselves. However, sooner or later this debt will have to be repaid with interest in the form of fatigue, insomnia, irritability and depression.
Like any other stimulant, caffeine found in energy drinks leads to depletion of the nervous system. Its effect lasts for an average of 3 - 5 hours, after which the body needs rest. In addition, caffeine is addictive.
An energy drink containing a combination of glucose and caffeine is very harmful to a young body.
Many energy drinks contain large amounts of vitamin B, which can cause your heart to beat faster and your limbs to tremble.
Fitness enthusiasts should be aware of caffeine's outstanding diuretic properties. This means that you can’t drink an energy drink after a workout, because during the workout we already lose a lot of fluid.
If the permissible dose is exceeded, side effects cannot be excluded: tachycardia, psychomotor agitation, increased nervousness, depression.
Energy drinks contain taurine and glucuronolactone. The taurine content is several times higher permissible level, and the amount of glucuronolactone contained in 2 cans of the drink exceeds daily norm almost 500 times (!). Even scientists don't know how these ingredients affect the body and how they interact with caffeine. Therefore, experts state that the safety of using such high doses of taurine and glucuronolactone has not yet been determined, requiring further research.
Answer from Yergey drrsw[guru]
And you know that this chemistry does not bring any good. While you are young and your internal organs are healthy, they will suffer for some time, but they will save you from a bad drink, and then it may be too late.
Answer from Sdssdsds dsdsds[newbie]
at least since he hasn’t been drinking alcohol I drink it myself, I mostly drink Drive me when there’s little money and when I drink a lot I drink adrenalin rush I’ve been drinking it for 3 years and I’m not complaining
Answer from Elena Zabolotnyaya[newbie]
in Bataysk, from the age of 14, all energy drinks are sold
Answer from Knuckle V[newbie]
from 18
Answer from 4ek1stwOw~[newbie]
from any age you can
Answer from Ksenia Medvedeva[newbie]
From 16 which are non-alcoholic
Answer from Denis Amelichkin[newbie]
Why are you so stupid??? YOU are asked about NON-ALCOHOLIC ENERGY DRINKERS (ADRENALINE), why are you interfering with the search for answers??? You can't even have a soda with that kind of mind.
First time in fifth grade.
A lotto made from the evacuation plan will help you learn the location of the offices - color it, mark the numbers of the necessary offices and plot the route for each day. And to remember teachers faster, you can print out their portraits (for example, from the website) and come up with a game - connect the name of the subject with the teacher’s portrait.
Energy drinks today can be bought on every corner without any age limit. But this does not mean that they are safe for children's health. Why is it not recommended for teenagers to drink energy drinks and what are their harms?
How do energy drinks work?
Energy drinks, contrary to their name, do not “inject” new energy into the body. They have low calorie content and relatively low sugar content. These products owe their effect to components that force the body to consume internal energy resources at an accelerated pace. As a result, after drinking 1-2 cans of energy drink, we feel the feeling of fatigue go away and the thirst for activity appears. However, this effect does not last long - from 3 to 5 hours. Then, as a rule, you feel an even greater loss of strength and physical exhaustion. This is again explained by the fact that the body has exhausted its resources and needs rest to recover.
Composition of energy drinks
What components force the body to open its “second wind”? Of course, caffeine plays a key role in energy drinks. Each of us is familiar with its effect in one way or another: it stimulates mental activity and increases cardiovascular endurance, making physical activity easier.Taurine- the second component found in the vast majority of energy drinks. This is an amino acid that accumulates in muscle tissue and temporarily improves the functioning of the heart muscle. Although not everyone agrees with the last statement. There are opinions among experts that the effect of taurine on the body is minimal or non-existent.
It is noteworthy that many energy drinks are enriched with B vitamins. They are necessary for normal operation brain and nervous system, so their auxiliary function is obvious.
Guarana and ginseng extracts are plant components with stimulating properties: they increase tone and reduce pain when physical activity, removing lactic acid from muscle tissue.
Carnitine accelerates metabolism and oxidation of fatty acids. It also reduces muscle fatigue, helping to get rid of physical fatigue.
Harm to children's bodies
Any doctor will tell you that energy drinks are contraindicated for people suffering from hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, pregnant women, children and adolescents. Extremely permissible norm for a healthy adult - two cans of energy drink per day (of course, not for daily use). Otherwise, there is a risk of high blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It is clear that in adolescents these effects can appear even with a minimal dose.The vitamins that energy drinks are often enriched with are contained in doses that are too high for a teenager. Thus, excess vitamin B can cause rapid heartbeat and trembling in the arms and legs. Therefore, it is better to maintain the vitamin reserves of a child’s body with special complexes - they contain a carefully balanced dosage of all components in accordance with age.
In addition, energy drinks are unsafe due to their high caffeine content. Like any stimulant, large quantities it depletes the nervous system, and over time becomes addictive. Many of us are familiar with the feeling when awakening finally occurs only after drinking a cup of strong coffee. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which means it removes the mineral salts it needs from the body.
Unlike adults, a teenager only needs one can of energy drink to experience its side effects, which include nervousness, tachycardia, increased arterial pressure and psychomotor agitation.
Hello, Vasya!
Energy drinks are not recommended for consumption by persons under 18 years of age. This is due to their extreme negative influence on the emerging psyche. In addition, the composition of energy drinks is a “hellish mixture” of substances that negatively affect the body.
Doctors' opinion
Medical professionals and scientific researchers are sounding the alarm. Caffeine, one of the main substances in stimulant products, causes various neurological and cardiovascular disorders in children and adolescents. Also, the use of energy drinks provokes depression, reduces cognitive abilities and forms addiction. Regular consumption of energy drinks promotes risky behavior and leads to alcoholism and drug addiction.
State opinion
Denmark, Türkiye, and Iceland have banned the sale of energy drinks in grocery retail chains. Some US states have also passed similar laws. EU countries have introduced restrictions on the sale of energy drinks to minors. The Swedes, for example, do not allow this type of product to be sold to persons under 15 years of age. Some types of such drinks are sold only in pharmacies. In Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the issue of banning energy drinks is currently being considered.
Why energy drinks should not be consumed under 18 years of age
One of the main active ingredients is caffeine. It is he who invigorates the body, and in fact, makes it nerve cells expend carefully stored energy. Eventually nervous system is depleted. This leads to irritability, lethargy, and insomnia. Worse yet- caffeine is addictive and requires new doses. The substance has a particularly destructive effect on a growing organism. Here are other components of many similar drinks:
- Sucrose;
- Glucose;
- Taurine;
- Theobromine;
- Vitamins C and group B;
- Guarana;
- Ginseng.
High sugar content in drinks disrupts metabolism. Taurine activates energy metabolism, but due to high doses it negatively affects health. Theobromine is a substance similar to caffeine, but weaker. Although B vitamins seem like beneficial ingredients, in such company they can cause allergic reactions, rapid heartbeat and trembling limbs. At the same time, vitamin C forms compounds with flavors and preservatives in the drink. The result is carcinogenic substances. Ginseng, medicinal in itself, in combination with caffeine provokes irritability.
In addition to the listed components, any energy drink contains carbon dioxide. It is thanks to him that all components of the drink are quickly absorbed into the blood. But at the same time, carbon dioxide increases the acidity of the stomach and creates conditions for the development of gastritis and ulcers. Any such product contains dyes and preservatives, flavorings and all kinds of nutritional supplements, which also does not improve health.
And finally, the younger generation very often combines these drinks with alcohol or tobacco. Such a double or triple blow to the body greatly constricts blood vessels, which leads to the risk of stroke and other serious problems. Unfortunately, there is evidence of side effects of using stimulants from changing heart rate before the attack and even sudden death.
As you can see, energy drinks are not harmless invigorating substances. They have an extremely negative impact on children. Therefore, parents should take care of the safety of their sons and daughters and explain to them the dangers of consuming such products.
Best regards, Galina.