A recent lawsuit against Panera Bread alleging that its caffeinated “Charged Lemonade” was involved in the death of a college student with heart disease has renewed concerns about whether the go-to energy drink is still safe to drink. There may be some.
Student Sarah Katz, 21, drank a Panera charged lemonade. Contains up to 390 milligrams of caffeine per 30 oz serving — in September 2022, according to a lawsuit filed in Philadelphia Standing Court. She died later that day, and a lawsuit filed by her parents accuses her of failing to warn consumers about a range of ingredients. No comment was received from the company. However, we are currently stepping up information disclosure regarding Charged Lemonade. a spokesperson told NBC this week.
So, is 390 milligrams a lot of caffeine?
In fact, it’s quite a lot. Healthy adults should limit their caffeine intake to less than 400 milligrams per day. According to the FDA. The problem is that many of us are probably taking more of this stimulant than we realize, and we’re probably far exceeding this recommended daily limit. Health risks such as insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, nausea, increased heart rate, and other side effects.
But what does 400 milligrams of caffeine actually look like?
The amount of caffeine in your morning coffee varies depending on the portion size and the concentration of coffee in your particular cup of coffee, so be sure to check its nutritional content.
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Well, that’s the equivalent of 8 cans of Diet Coke (or 11 cans of regular Coca-Cola KO).
Soda) or 4 cups of homemade coffee, so you don’t have to worry about giving up your favorite coffee or caffeinated beverage completely just yet. (Unless they’re loaded with sugar, but that’s another story.) The FDA notes that a 12-ounce can of caffeinated soft drinks typically contains 30 to 40 milligrams of caffeine. doing. An 8-ounce cup of green or black tea contains 30 to 50 milligrams. And an 8-ounce cup of coffee is closer to 80 to 100 milligrams.
However, knowing the portion sizes is important. Keep in mind that a “cup” is 8 ounces, or perhaps smaller than what you think of as a “cup” of coffee. That is, a single Grande Starbucks SBUX,
For example, hot drip coffee is 16 ounces, or 2 cups of coffee. Today, many standard mugs and coffee house servings are also set at 12 to 16 ounces.
Additionally, the caffeine content of different beers and drinks varies widely.soon starbucks site, Grande (16 oz) Pike Place Roast Coffee actually contains 310 milligrams of caffeine. In other words, by drinking just one cup of Starbucks coffee, he is already reaching his recommended daily caffeine limit, before considering the other caffeine he ingests throughout the day by drinking a second cup of coffee. This means that we have almost reached . Drink tea, soda, or energy drinks. eat chocolate. or take supplements. Some painkillers, such as those targeted for headaches, may contain caffeine.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 12 not consume caffeine. And the AAP recommends that adolescents ages 12 to 18 consume less than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day.”
For children and teens, the caffeine limit is even lower. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that children under the age of 12 are exposed to caffeine, periods, writing, “There is no proven safe amount of caffeine for children.” And the AAP recommends that youth ages 12 to 18 consume less than 100 milligrams of caffeine (perhaps two 12-ounce cans of soda) per day. However, things like energy drinks, Celsius and Prime popular on TikTok It can pack an overcaffeinated punch that easily exceeds the 100 milligram limit. 1 12oz can Celsius original For example, it contains 200 milligrams of caffeine. celsius fever Some can contain up to 300 milligrams of caffeine in a 16-ounce can. This is double or triple the recommended daily amount of caffeine for teenagers.
But behind the scenes, red bull The caffeine content per 8.4-ounce can is relatively low at 80 milligrams, much less than Starbucks coffee.
Counting caffeine can be confusing. Below is a table comparing the caffeine content of popular coffee, soda, and energy drinks. This is so adults can better understand how much her single serving exceeds her recommended daily caffeine intake of 400 milligrams.
market watch
Health experts told MarketWatch that many people, especially children, teens and young adults, aren’t as concerned about their caffeine intake as they are about sugar and salt.
“I see a lot of young patients, especially young men, who drink these caffeinated drinks in the morning or before they go to the gym, and I feel like it helps them perform better,” says John White, chief executive. the doctor said. WebMD’s medical director told MarketWatch.
Indeed, recent Mintel Market Report Sales of the US energy drink industry were valued at $21.1 billion in 2022 and are projected to reach $22.7 billion in 2023, thanks largely to young men. The magazine points out that “energy drinks are primarily a younger consumer category, with men aged 18 to 34 being the main consumers.” However, the magazine added that “hybrid energy drinks (coffee, iced tea, etc.) have the narrowest gender gap”, so there is good potential to get younger women on board.
“The biggest misconception is that caffeine isn’t harmful to you,” says WebMD’s White, “because you don’t often hear that caffeine is regulated. “I’m more concerned about the sugar content and calorie count than the caffeine.”
still FDA warns When approximately 1,200 milligrams of caffeine is ingested rapidly, toxic effects such as seizures may be observed.
“Remember that caffeine itself is a stimulant,” White added. “Your heart rate increases. Your blood vessels constrict and your heart works harder and faster, which increases your blood pressure. And it can further cause dehydration.”
And this can have a big impact, especially on children and teens who are drawn to energy drinks, says Dr. Mark Caulkins, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ nutrition committee. “Children think [caffeinated energy drinks] cool. It’s truly an “adult” drink. And we all like stimulants. They make us feel good,” Caulkins told MarketWatch.
However, children and teens are obviously smaller than adults, so high concentrations of caffeine can hit young consumers hard. “A cup of coffee for the kids. [or one energy drink] More doses per kilogram [of body weight] “Compare that to a grown man,” he said.
So what can you do?
First, be aware of the following signs of caffeine overdose:
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insomnia
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jitter
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anxiety
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fast heart rate
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upset stomach
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nausea
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headache
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Unhappy feeling (discomfort)
It’s also important to be aware of how much caffeine you’re consuming by reading the label or looking up a product’s nutritional information online.
“I don’t think anyone knows how much caffeine is generally recommended,” says WebMD’s White. “So even if you find that a drink has 390 milligrams of caffeine, there is no standard for determining whether it has too much caffeine.”
Bottom line: Adults should limit their caffeine intake to less than 400 milligrams per day. Teens ages 12 to 18 should keep their doses under 100 milligrams.And children under 12 probably shouldn’t consume caffeine at all
