Area Physician Issues Warning About High-Caffeine Energy Drinks
By Lynne Adkins
ABINGTON, Pa. (CBS) -- The FDA is investigating after five deaths nationwide have apparently been linked to the highly caffeinated energy drink that goes by the brand name "Monster."
Now, a local medical expert is urging parents to use caution.
Energy drinks are not for children, according to Dr. John Russell, director of the family medicine residency program at Abington Memorial Hospital. He says they're are loaded with sugar and caffeine, which is a stimulant that can make the heart race.
"Children who can drink a 16-ounce can of something... drinking a 16-ounce can of this energy drink is going to be lots and lots of caffeine," he warns. "And depending how large the child is, they could be getting into a dose that is not a healthy dose for a child to be taking in."
He says every year local poison control hotlines receive numerous calls from parents whose children ingested too much caffeine.
