The options for a quick caffeine boost keep pouring in. The
energy drink industry is projected to reach nearly $20 billion
in sales this year thanks to its most popular customer:
teenagers. But according to new research, that energy burst
comes with a consequence: potentially dangerous health problems,
especially among teens and young adults. That has experts
concerned. Dr. Mary Claire O'Brien is one of 18 researchers who
recently petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to restrict
caffeine in energy drinks because they could be dangerous for
young adults. "They are more sensitive to the effects of
caffeine, in part because their body mass is lower and in part
because majority of them are are caffeine naive compared to
adults," O'Brein explains. A new study shows energy drinks have
an immediate impact on heart rhythm and cause an increase blood
pressure. While most adults can tolerate this slight change in
heart rate, teens' inexperience with caffeine makes their
reaction stronger, with the potential to c