Food regulator to assess energy drink ingredients

By Lorna Edwards

The bubble may soon burst on the thriving energy drinks market. Health concerns have led to a review by the national food regulator.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand will assess the safety of the popular drinks, which contain herbs such as guarana and gingko biloba that could interact adversely with other medications or pose dangers of overdose if consumed in large quantities.

Spokeswoman Lydia Buchtmann said the authority would examine whether it was appropriate to include the ingredients in the drinks and how they should be regulated. The Australian Consumers Association has also expressed concerns.

Although the drinks claim therapeutic benefits derived from herbs traditionally used in complementary medicine, consumers are not given dosage guidelines or medication warnings when the herbs are used in food and drinks.

Guarana, similar to caffeine, can lift heart rates and blood pressure, while gingko biloba can increase bleeding and is a health risk for people on some medications or with injuries.

Another drink additive, St John's wort, can interact with antidepressant medication and cause headaches and tremors.

Australian Medical Association spokeswoman Rosanna Capolingua said the drinks were cleverly marketed to appear healthy and their sale, marketing and the need for warnings had to be considered.

The energy-drink market has boomed since the late '90s when the drinks were first imported from New Zealand, with Red Bull and V the most popular brands. The drinks cannot be manufactured in Australia.

The Australian Soft Drink Association said it believed that energy drinks were safe.

This story was found at:
The Age.com