Posted on 11/15/2012 9:23:27 AM PST by NormsRevenge
You know those little vials of who-knows-what that TV bills as a healthier alternative to energy drinks. Turns out they might make you die. Or to be more specific, the flavored energy shot "has been mentioned in some 90 filings with the F.D.A., including more than 30 that involved serious or life-threatening injuries like heart attacks, convulsions and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion," according to a New York Times investigation.
...
Don't worry, 5-Hour Energy fans, Monster Energy drink is a culprit, too. Following a review of FDA records, The Times found that 5-Hour Energy was implicated in at least 13 deaths over the last four years, while Monster was cited in five deaths in a review last month. Both the paper and the FDA are careful to point out that correlation does not equal causation in these horrifying examples of pick-me-ups gone wrong. Nevertheless, we're pretty sure coffee will remain our stimulant of choice for the foreseeable future.
...
The scariest thing about the Times report isn't necessarily the threat of heart attack or spontaneous abortion. It's the fact that nobody really knows what's going on with energy drinks -- or in 5-Hour Energy's case "dietary supplements" -- that become implicated in fatalities. Even scarier, is that the companies making these potions know that it's happening. They're required by federal law to report cases that link their products to fatalities to the FDA. They don't want to talk about it either. "I am not interested in making any comment," Manoj Bhargava, the chief executive of Living Essentials, the company that makes 5-Hour Energy. (Go ahead and let the irony of that company name sink in.)
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Travis York on “The Doctors” said that he attended to a trucker in the ER room who was claiming his heart was racing. When Travis questioned him, it turns out the trucker had drank in the neighborhood of 15 bottles of that stuff in an effort to keep awake while on a nighttime delivery..........15 bottles!!!
“...it’s what your body craves...”
Seriously, 13 deaths, over 4 years. Millions of these have been sold and presumably consumed. Having said that, a steady diet, over use, unknown sensitivity or combination with other products might be possible contributing factors.
Moderation and perspicacity in all things.
Someone who feels like they have to use that stuff, probably isn’t very healthy to begin with.
I was drinking it for a while and I liked it. It wasn’t the one which got my heart to race like a rabbit, but I stopped ALL energy drinks after that.
It’s a good idea no matter what. Save your money, and if you can’t get psyched to hit the gym without it, don’t go that day.
Were you using it for the gym?
Strenuous exercise also gives you energy, but can result in death also. Let’s ban SOMETHING already!
No, I was just drinking it like I might drink a diet Pepsi. I cringe when I see my son drinking some of those energy drinks. Crossing my fingers for him.
Luckily the young are less susceptible to health issues from those drinks. I know lots of boys use them when playing video games. At college, lots of students use Adderall for studying...not smart.
Can’t imagine why anyone would use that crap anyway.
I’d better stock up on the 5-hour before someone saves me from myself!
Can't afford any of them now.
Possibly. Sales on Military bases is steady. The formula for ripped fuel was changed because or over use and the effects of ephedrine (think that was the issue).
Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer choice.
.02
>> “Strenuous exercise also gives you energy, but can result in death also.” <<
.
Tell a lie like that often enough and God knows who’ll believe it.
Strenuous exercise actually depletes your energy, Whodda thunk it!
never touch the stuff.
A lot of variables left uncovered here, such as how many shots were consumed daily (the drink recommends no more than one), the health of the consumers, what was consumed along with it, the diet of the consumer. Vitamin B overdose, for example, can lead to serious consequences. But the key is overdose.
This seems, so far, alarmism similar to alar, caffeine, eggs, oat bran, meat, and all the rest. Why do I get the impression that huge lawyer paydays are an issue here, and someone is helping them along?
The manufacturers look like awfully deep pockets, and the caution about overconsumption will probably work against them in the hands of greedy ATLA members, sorry for the redundancy.
I used to take the tablet form of 4 Hour Energy when I was driving for a living. Half a tablet was a godsend for a groggy driver two hundred miles from home. I still take the liquid form, a half a bottle every four hours, starting after four hours of driving. Never had a problem but I like the advice to take B complex and a double espresso although I don’t think that would be cheaper.
I’ve never used any of the energy drinks and don’t plan to, but thirteen deaths over four years is not much evidence from the many millions of doses of these prodcts that have been used.
People want it all.
Long hours multitasking at multiple jobs to stay ahead of debt incurred for relaxation and/or stimulation with toys and trips and multiple hobbies and interests and activities, and a need for stimulants to keep up and give it all a slightly tweaked edge, and then some downers of some sort for sleep and winding down. Easily bored, trying to fill or dance above a painfully empty core that used to be naturally filled with solid values and human connections and God.
Go to a military base and see how much and who are buying these. Marines and soldiers are usually pretty healthy.
I suspect they aren’t the ones dropping dead from heart attacks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.