The FDA has confirmed the hospitalization of 33 people and the death of 13 as a result of having shots of the energy drink “5 hour energy”. At this point there has been 92 reports sent to Living Essentials LLC, the company behind the drink, relating to the fact that some people feel ill after taking that drink. It is mandatory for the company to relay such report to the FDA because the drink is sold as a nutritional supplement.
The reports do not provide enough data supporting the idea that it is the 5 hour energy drink that caused the deaths or illnesses. The FDA said in a statement that they will have to carefully investigate the case properly using scientific methods. It is necessary to evaluate all possible causes of the medical problems before jumping into a conclusion.
The drink “5 hour energy” does not contain any herbal supplement, its main ingredient is caffeine.
This opens the gate for investigations on energy products
Aside for the “5 hour energy” drink, the FDA has revealed that it was also investigating 5 deaths linked to another energy drink referred to as “Monster Energy”. This investigation started after pressure from the government releasing a report showing that there was a 10 times increase in the number of hospitalizations after a person takes in an energy drink.
The other thing is that even if the investigation proved that “5 hour energy” was indeed responsible for the 13 deaths it would not result in a recall for that product out of the market. For the product to be called out of the market, the investigation will have to prove that the medical problems caused by the drink came as a result of a proper use of that drink. The company Living Essentials LLC has in advance stated the proper use of the drink on its label. In other words they are not responsible for any misuse of the drink.
On their website the company has already spelled out the proper use of the drink. There, it states that more than 2 bottles of the drink should not be taken in a single day. Even that, there should be several hours space between the time the first bottle was taken and the second bottle. A person trying the drink for the first time should make sure not to drink everything at a go. That person should drink one half first and drink the second half after 10 minutes. People who know themselves to be sensitive to caffeine should make sure to talk to their doctor before taking that drink. Open bottles that still have some of the drink left inside should be thrown away after 72 hours.
Also the FDA released a statement advising the population concerning energy drinks. The agency emphasized on the fact that energy drinks can never replace a good sleep. The stimulants found in those drinks can make a tired person feel alert and awake without necessarily improving on that person’s reflexes and reaction time.
Concerning caffeine
The substance caffeine is the key ingredient in the ‘5 hour energy” drink. According to the company Living Essentials LLC, the drink contains as much caffeine as cup of leading premium cup of coffee.
Consumer report recently did a test and found out the amount of caffeine in 5 hour energy was 215 milligrams per serving. According to the same agency a healthy adults should not take more than 400 mg of caffeine a day. Taking in high amounts of caffeine can result in restlessness, insomnia and even unstable heart rhythm. This substance is to be used cautiously.
