Rupert Jee (Newsday Photo/Moises Saman)
Everyday drinks packing caffeine wallop
BY CURTIS L. TAYLOR
NEWSDAY STAFF WRITER
October 3, 2006
A double-shot of coffee may produce a bigger high than the new liquid "cocaine" and other so-called energy
drinks loaded with sugar and caffeine, according to medical experts.
While the notorious Cocaine Energy Drink boasts of 280 milligrams of caffeine per 8.4 ounce serving, another
brand, Wired X294, promises a jolt of 294 milligrams per 16 ounce serving.
Surprisingly, both are tame when compared to a large 16 ounce cup of Starbucks coffee, packing a caffeine
wallop containing 372 milligrams, according to medical experts interviewed Monday.
"To put in perspective, a tablet of NoDoze contains 200 milligrams of caffeine," said Dr. Bruce Goldberger,
director of the University of Florida's William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine.
"In Florida, we have an epidemic of cocaine-related deaths," Goldberger said. "What this does is legitimizes
cocaine use, especially among the young people it is targeted for."
Still, the "cocaine" drink is about two times stronger than Red Bull, the most popular so-called energy drink on
the market, packing 80 milligrams per 8.3 ounce serving.
But Dr. David Brown, chief of cardiovascular medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center, said that there
are serious medical risks associated with heavy caffeinated beverage consumption.
"Caffeine is a stimulant to the body that varies significantly from person-to-person," Brown said. "People have
different thresholds, but excessive caffeine can induce excessive heart rhythm abnormalities. People should
drink caffeine beverages in moderation."
Jennifer Vimbor, registered dietitian at St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, said that in certain people, caffeine can
cause serious health effects, including anxiety and difficulty sleeping.
Caffeine, a stimulant, is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract and reaches
maximum concentration in about an hour. Studies show it can make the heart beat abnormally fast.
Goldberger said that warning labels should accompany all caffeinated beverages, and nutritional labeling should
be expanded to include the amount of caffeine per serving. He said that caffeinated beverages can pose a threat
to people sensitive to the drug, including pregnant women, children and infants.
The FDA does not regulate the amount of caffeine in beverages, said Cynthia Benson, an FDA spokeswoman.
In a study published in the March 2006 Journal of Analytic Toxicology, Goldberger and colleagues found that
most energy drinks are loaded with caffeine far exceeding the recommended level of 65 milligrams per 12 ounce
for carbonated colas such as Pepsi or Coke.
Other health experts say that drinking up to three cups of coffee a day poses no health risk. In fact, studies have
shown that caffeine boosts levels of brain-cell calcium, a mineral known to be important to memory.
BY CURTIS L. TAYLOR
NEWSDAY STAFF WRITER
October 3, 2006
A double-shot of coffee may produce a bigger high than the new liquid "cocaine" and other so-called energy
drinks loaded with sugar and caffeine, according to medical experts.
While the notorious Cocaine Energy Drink boasts of 280 milligrams of caffeine per 8.4 ounce serving, another
brand, Wired X294, promises a jolt of 294 milligrams per 16 ounce serving.
Surprisingly, both are tame when compared to a large 16 ounce cup of Starbucks coffee, packing a caffeine
wallop containing 372 milligrams, according to medical experts interviewed Monday.
"To put in perspective, a tablet of NoDoze contains 200 milligrams of caffeine," said Dr. Bruce Goldberger,
director of the University of Florida's William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine.
"In Florida, we have an epidemic of cocaine-related deaths," Goldberger said. "What this does is legitimizes
cocaine use, especially among the young people it is targeted for."
Still, the "cocaine" drink is about two times stronger than Red Bull, the most popular so-called energy drink on
the market, packing 80 milligrams per 8.3 ounce serving.
But Dr. David Brown, chief of cardiovascular medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center, said that there
are serious medical risks associated with heavy caffeinated beverage consumption.
"Caffeine is a stimulant to the body that varies significantly from person-to-person," Brown said. "People have
different thresholds, but excessive caffeine can induce excessive heart rhythm abnormalities. People should
drink caffeine beverages in moderation."
Jennifer Vimbor, registered dietitian at St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, said that in certain people, caffeine can
cause serious health effects, including anxiety and difficulty sleeping.
Caffeine, a stimulant, is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract and reaches
maximum concentration in about an hour. Studies show it can make the heart beat abnormally fast.
Goldberger said that warning labels should accompany all caffeinated beverages, and nutritional labeling should
be expanded to include the amount of caffeine per serving. He said that caffeinated beverages can pose a threat
to people sensitive to the drug, including pregnant women, children and infants.
The FDA does not regulate the amount of caffeine in beverages, said Cynthia Benson, an FDA spokeswoman.
In a study published in the March 2006 Journal of Analytic Toxicology, Goldberger and colleagues found that
most energy drinks are loaded with caffeine far exceeding the recommended level of 65 milligrams per 12 ounce
for carbonated colas such as Pepsi or Coke.
Other health experts say that drinking up to three cups of coffee a day poses no health risk. In fact, studies have
shown that caffeine boosts levels of brain-cell calcium, a mineral known to be important to memory.
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