Doctor calls for health warning on stimulant drinks

STIMULANT drinks which are high in caffeine must be regulated in the same way as our tobacco industry if people are to be saved from the growing culture of alcohol-induced violence, a doctor warned yesterday.

Most people who consume stimulants mix them with alcohol. Misleading advertising claims must be banned and people need to know more about the harmful effects of consuming such high doses of caffeine, particularly when mixed with alcohol, Dr Margaret Fitzgerald told a toxicology conference yesterday.

“When these drinks were first manufactured, the appeal was that it boosted endurance and was great for exercise and heavy sports. But research shows that it takes huge amounts of water to counteract the diuretic effects. Timing is critical.

“Our basic conclusion is that it is not suitable. People who want to remain hydrated should take isotonic drinks. Those who would want to maximise the impact would need a sports expert or sports physiologist to work out the optimal benefit,” she said.

Research compiled in the wake of the death of basketball player, Ross Cooney, from the University of Limerick in November 2000, warned that stimulant drinks should not be used in sports and that children and pregnant women should beware of the high doses of caffeine they contain.

Women on the contraceptive pill don’t get the same kick and drink more to get a buzz, thus increasing their risk of serious caffeine addiction.

The Irish Society of Toxicology wants better labelling of stimulant drinks, an investigation into the markets targeted and proper regulation of the industry.

A public health specialist, Dr Fitzgerald, formerly of the Food Safety Authority, said not a lot was known about such products, bar what is coming from the industry itself. And its control group may be far too small, she warned the conference in Kilkenny yesterday.

The effects of mixing such drinks with alcohol were many. Some became aggressive while others perceived they could drink longer. Some behavioural effects of drinking them alone were positive, others negative. Some found they improved endurance when studying for exams. Others found their blood pressure rose.

Toxicologists want consumers to be given more information about ingredients in stimulant drinks, particularly the combined ingredients and their possible effects. They also want them labelled high in caffeine, unsuitable for children and pregnant women and not suitable for use in sports. They also want it highlighted that they are not suitable for rehydration, after endurance sports.

The consequences of mixing them with alcohol must also be highlighted, Dr Fitzgerald said. Further toxicology studies are required and consumption levels must be monitored. The adverse effects must also be investigated.

“The current marketing is misleading. There is a whole ream of concerns regarding misleading claims, advertising strategies, where these drinks are promoted and the way the industry in Ireland is focused on young people,” she said.

“We are in the middle of a 50% increase in alcohol consumption. Our grave concern is that perhaps Ireland has a very vulnerable young population which thinks it is sexy to drink these type of drinks.

“We have to look at their advertising and promotion. We have a huge amount of regulations for tobacco. We need regulations for all products targeted at young people. Much needs to be learnt about these products. The focus from them has shifted to alcopops. But with all so-called functional products, caution needs to be exercised,” she said.

A number of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland were not upheld. Similar complaints to its British equivalent were. It found no evidence that claims that such drinks improved concentration, reaction times and boosted endurance were true.

Research here shows marked differences in opinions on stimulant drinks. Parents feel those who consumed such drinks with alcohol were getting drunk in a different way. Those in the 18 to 24 age group related them to a strong culture of alcohol and getting drunk. While 12 to 15 year-olds saw them as filling the gap between soft drinks and alcohol.