Docs flag risks posed by ‘energy’ drinks
For 37-year-old Satnam (name changed), the day starts with a bottle of red coloured energy drink. “I do not feel lively until I drink it. Like some people start their day with coffee or tea, this is my go-to drink,” he reasons.
Satnam admits that has heard about the potential health risks associated with the consumption of energy drinks but he feels he is addicted to it now.
Even more concerning trend is many parents, unknowingly, allowing their children to consume caffeinated energy drinks, sold under various brand names, without realising the health risks these pose.
These drinks have been linked to a range of serious health issues, including high Body Mass Index (BMI), fatty liver, stress and heart conditions in children. Dr Sandeep Aggarwal, Assistant Professor of Paediatrics at Government Medical College here, termed the situation as alarming. “In my 25 years of service as a paediatrician, I rarely saw cases of fatty liver in children until recently. Now, I see them regularly and the consumption of caffeinated energy drinks is the common thread.”
Dr Aggarwal emphasised that most parents are oblivious to the harm these drinks can cause. “The parents are unaware that the bottle they’re letting their children drink is detrimental to their health,” he said.
The health expert warned that caffeinated energy drinks can be a gateway to more serious substance abuse issues. “These drinks give a temporary high and when a child becomes accustomed to the ‘kick’, it can prove dangerous,” said Dr Aggarwal.
Another paediatrician, Dr Naresh Grover, who runs a children hospital, said the consumption of energy drinks had increased to an alarming extent. It is worrisome that these drinks are being sold even in school canteens.
The so-called energy drinks have even reached shops in the remotest villages in the border belt, where children and adults are consuming these without any knowledge of the consequences.
Jatinder Singh Laddi (28), a resident of Chambal village in Tarn Taran district, reveals, “I drink two to three bottles of Sting every day. Earlier, I used to drink six a day. I feel low if I do not drink it.” He said he had been made aware of the potential harms of the energy drink by his friends. “I cannot help it. It’s kind of an addiction now,” he added. With the state government planning a ban on the sale of caffeinated drinks to minors, Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur said, “We had issued an advisory for pregnant women and children asking them to refrain from consuming these drinks. It would be much more helpful if the government imposes the ban.”
Punjab