A new entry, Cocaine, amps up the caffeine – raising health risk fears:
This year, in a study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, a team of researchers analyzed the caffeine content of 10 popular energy drinks and found concentrations as high as 141 milligrams per 16-ounce can. While the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the amount of caffeine in soft drinks, agency guidelines for colas suggest no more than 68 milligrams per 12-ounce serving.
Only four of the drinks carried caffeine warnings on their containers, the researchers noted, and none suggested a limit.
“The caffeine content really should be listed on the labels,” said the lead author, Bruce A. Goldberger, a toxicologist at the University of Florida. “Caffeine may be the mostly widely used drug in the world, but certain people need to avoid it.”
Among them are those with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and certain anxiety disorders, as well as pregnant women.