Dietician encourages consumers to have caffeine in moderation
Aarykah Navarro/THE RIDER
Energy drinks have become a popular topic of discussion among students following a wrongful death lawsuit in Hidalgo County regarding a local teenager.
According to lead attorney Benny Agosto Jr. at an April 8 news conference, the Hidalgo County medical examiner determined Larissa Rodriguez, a Weslaco high school student, died at the age of 17 of an enlarged heart due to stress and “large amounts” of caffeine.
A lawsuit against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage LLC, filed in Hidalgo County, claims Alani Nu energy drinks were defectively designed, marketed and had inadequate warnings about serious cardiac risks, according to Agosto Jr.
“The [Food and Drug Administration] has a limit of 400 milligrams [of caffeine] per day for adults,” said Rachel Villarreal, a registered dietician, clinical associate professor and the chair of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at UTRGV. “But when you add coffee, soda or multiple energy drinks, you can expand that very quickly.”
One energy drink contains between 100 and 200 milligrams of caffeine, Villarreal said, encouraging people to not go over the recommended limit.
Carlos Marin, a finance sophomore, said he has talked about the incident with his friends, but it has not changed his opinion on energy drinks.
Marin added he takes energy drinks three to four times a week often around 10 or 11 a.m. after his first class.
“It’s kind of become [a habit] to stabilize myself,” he said. “If I don’t drink one, I feel kind of down.”
Marin said he sometimes does not get enough sleep, so he uses the energy drinks to help him get going.
Villarreal said students, when they are studying and do not move, may become tired. So, it is important to set limits and get up every 30 minutes to drink water or go on walks to stay energized.
“A lot of times when you’re tired, it may not be that you may need a pick-me-up like caffeine,” she said. “It may be that you’re dehydrated.”
Aarykah Navarro/THE RIDER
Dulce Sanchez, an international business junior, said she often consumes energy drinks the days she has classes, does homework and goes to the gym which is often two times a week.
“I started drinking them as soon as I got to college, and I was never really allowed to,” Sanchez said.
She added she was not allowed to drink them because, when she was younger, her mother would rely heavily on caffeine. One night, it affected her severely and went into cardiac arrest.
Sanchez said she consumes energy drinks in moderation, adding she and her friends often try different ones together to compare the taste.
“I usually get Alani’s but, now with the lawsuit, I don’t know,” she said.
Villarreal said the FDA regulation on caffeine pertains to adults, and anyone under 18 should not have any.
“Energy drinks are not regulated by the FDA,” she said. “No caffeine has an upper limit, but actual energy drinks are neither food nor drug. They’re considered … in the supplement category, which is not regulated.”
Villarreal added the labeling of the drink, including nutritional facts and warnings, is truthful; however, not many people may look into it until something bad happens as the packaging tends to have small health labels likely to go unnoticed. She added anything consumable should have clear and effective health warnings, and there need to be “more regulation in how these products are marketed.”
Certain energy drinks are marketed toward certain demographics. For example, Monster Energy is marketed toward men and Alani Nu toward women, according to Villarreal.
She added some common side effects can include rise in blood pressure, jitters, nerves and affected sleep schedules.
“I think that we should as consumers be more aware of … the things that can harm us,” Villarreal said.
She added people should drink energy drinks in moderation and not go overboard as she has observed some students in her classes drink more than one a day.
“With anything, too much of one thing is not good,” Villarreal said.
