Needed FDA Regulation of Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are used throughout the whole world. 30-50% of adolescents use energy drinks, they are not regulated by the FDA. Energy drinks are mostly a combination of glucose and caffeine. They also contain a chemical called Dopamine. Dopamine is a major chemical responsible for making us happy. When caffeine effects were off your body’s amount of adrenaline slows down as well. Once you stop taking caffeine your body’s amount of Dopamine slows down. Glucose is a sugar that your body uses directly as energy for basic body functions and activity. Too much glucose can lead to high cholesterol levels and fat production. Most of the sugar in energy drinks is fructose (high fructose). But caffeine has a stronger effect than sugar in energy drinks. It is more effective because it is stronger than sugar. It is not proven that sugar can give you more energy or even keep you awake longer. Sugar is commonly mistaken by people for a quick energy boost when in fact it has never been proven.

Experts say that caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world, many people have access to caffeine through: coffee, energy drinks, soda etc. Caffeine is an odorless bitter sweet drug that is found inside of coffee beans, cocoa beans, tea leaves, and cola nuts. The word coffee comes from the Arab word "quhwah", meaning bitter sweet. Coffee is grown in many countries such as Brazil, Columbia, Kenya, Jamaica, and Ethiopia. It has been told in an old story a long time ago that a young Ethiopian man was watching his family’s goats when he noticed that some goats were eating coffee beans off of a coffee plant. He observed that the goats that were eating the coffee beans were much friskier than the goats that were not eating them, leading him to believe ...

... middle of paper ...

...beats per minute. Heart rate, or pulse, refers to how many times your heart contracts and relaxes per minute. As you age your heart rate changes. According to Medline plus, Newborns 0 - 1 month old: 70 - 190 beats per minute, Infants 1 - 11 months old: 80 - 160 beats per minute, Children 1 - 2 years old: 80 - 130 beats per minute, Children 3 - 4 years old: 80 - 120 beats per minute, Children 5 - 6 years old: 75 - 115 beats per minute, Children 7 - 9 years old: 70 - 110 beats per minute, Children 10 years and older, and adults (including seniors): 60 - 100 beats per minute, Well-trained athletes: 40 - 60 beats per minute. Heart rate can be measured at the wrist, groin, neck, temple, back of knees, or the top or inside of the foot. You cannot use your thumb when taking someone’s pules because your thumb has a pulse of its own, thus it can interfere with the patients.