CP_0906_PEARLS_Drinks.FinalREV 9/20/06 10:57 AM Page 142

earls P Tim Berigan, MD

Drink to your health? Beware energy ’ risks

nergy drinks’ popularity has soared among con- Carbohydrates. Four popular brands of energy drinks E sumers who crave an energy boost from the contain 28 to 66 grams of carbohydrates—a of highly caffeinated herbal concoctions. Clinicians should whole wheat bread has 20 grams of carbohydrates. ask patients about energy consumption because: Urge patients taking antipsychotics that could cause • caffeine abuse can exacerbate mood and weight gain to avoid these drinks. anxiety disorders and disrupt sleep® patternsDowdenCaffeine. HealthEnergy Media drinks contain 75 to 158 mg of caf- • herbal additives can cause physical and/or feine per can—8 ounces of coffee has 150 mg of caf- psychiatric side effects feine. Also, some products include the South • some ingredients interactCopyright withFor prescription personalAmerican use onlyplant extracts guarana or yerba mate, or OTC medications which contain an unknown amount of caffeine. • effects of energy drinks may contribute to a High caffeine intake—≥ 300 mg/d—might exac- patient’s presenting complaint. erbate bipolar disorder’s manic symptoms. Also find Approximately 70% of patients1 do not report ener- out about additional caffeine intake from coffee, tea, gy drink use because they believe these products are soda, and some OTC medications, such as Excedrin. natural and safe. Ask patients if they consume energy Herbal ingredients. Ginseng or ginkgo biloba can drinks so you can alert them to the health risks. cause patients to feel jittery or anxious. When taken in large amounts—the FDA has no guidelines on safe A STIMULATING RECIPE dosages—these ingredients can aggravate manic or Two main ingredients in most energy drinks are caf- psychotic symptoms. feine and carbohydrates in the form of glucose, Significant consumption—3 or sucrose, fructose, galactose, and maltodextrins (Table). more 8-oz drinks per day—can bring about physical side effects such as tachycardia and insomnia. Table Advise patients to limit their intake to 2 drinks per Caffeine and carbohydrate content day, and suggest safer ways to increase energy levels of popular energy drinks such as moderate exercise and adequate sleep.

Caffeine Carbohydrate Reference Drink name content content 1. Ciocon JO, Ciocon DG, Galindo DJ. Dietary supplements in primary care: botanicals can affect surgical outcomes and follow-up. Geriatrics Red Bull (8.5 oz) 80 mg 28 g 2004;59(9):20-4. Full Throttle (16 oz) 144 mg 57 g Dr. Berigan is a contracting psychiatrist at SoBe (16 oz) 158 mg 66 g Behavioral Health Services, Fort Huachuca, AZ. Source: American Beverage Association, SoBe Beverages, Red Bull

142 Current VOL. 5, NO. 10 / OCTOBER 2006 p SYCHIATRY

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