Energy drinks tied to dozens of adverse reactions in Canada
Doctors in Nova Scotia recommend ban on the sale of energy drinks to under-19s
CBC News
Posted: Nov 16, 2012 10:22 AM ET
Last Updated: Nov 16, 2012 10:48 PM ET
Related
Related Stories
External Links
- Health Canada's proposed approach to managing caffeinated energy drinks
- 5-Hour Energy statement (.pdf)
- Caffeine in food, Health Canada
- Monster Beverage response to media reports
(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)
Health Canada has received 86 reports of adverse reactions to energy drinks, at a time when U.S. regulators are investigating 13 deaths possibly related to energy "shots" in that country.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received 92 reports that cite illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths after people consumed 5-Hour Energy.
"There are two 5-Hour Energy products that are permitted for sale in Canada," Sean Upton, senior media relations officer for Health Canada, said in an email to CBC News. "They are 5-hour Energy Extra Strength (en-140564) and 5-hour Energy Regular Strength (EN-140566)."
Michigan-based Living Essentials, LLC, says 5-Hour Energy is a compact-sized energy shot intended for busy adults. (CBC)Both products need to be labelled with information including each medicinal ingredient, he added.
Health Canada's database of adverse reactions started in 1965 but the energy products have only been on the market in recent years.
Doctors in Nova Scotia are recommending a ban on the sale of energy drinks to anyone under age 19.
Earlier, the FDA also received reports that cited the highly caffeinated Monster Energy Drink in five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack.
No deaths linked to products
Health Canada recommends adults have no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, equal to roughly two of the 5-Hour Energy drinks.
"If someone is thinking about taking one of these products, they should consult with their health-care provider to ensure that there are no underlying or undiagnosed medical conditions that could worsen as a result of using them," FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said.
Elaine Lutz, spokeswoman for Michigan-based Living Essentials, LLC, advises consumers to drink no more than two bottles of 5-Hour Energy shots a day, spaced several hours apart, and for new consumers to drink half a bottle to start.
Lutz said in a statement that the company is not aware of any deaths proven to have been caused by their product.
Last month, Monster Energy said in a statement that it stands by its products.
With files from The Associated PressShare Tools
Latest Windsor News Headlines
- Flu shot for health workers urged by Ont. medical officer
- Ontario's chief medical officer of health is renewing her push for health-care workers, particularly those in long-term care, to get their shots. more »
- Petition looks to rename Victoria Day
- A group that includes some prominent Canadian actors, writers and politicians is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to change the name of Victoria Day. more »
- Unknown remains found on Dellen Millard's farm
- Police searching the farm of Dellen Millard, the 27-year-old charged with first-degree murder after the remains of Ancaster, Ont., man Tim Bosma were discovered, have found other remains on the property, but it's unclear if they are human or animal. more »
- Blackhawks in 2-1 series hole
- Gustav Nyquist and Drew Miller scored 31 seconds apart in the second period and Pavel Datsyuk added added insurance in the third to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 win over Chicago in Game 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series Monday night. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- NDP wants RCMP inquiry into $90K payment to Duffy
- The NDP has asked the RCMP to launch an investigation into the $90,000 payment from the prime minister's former top aide, Nigel Wright, to Senator Mike Duffy in relation to the Senate expense scandal. more »
- Will alleged Rob Ford video overshadow Toronto casino debate?
- A debate about a proposed downtown casino is supposed to take centre stage at Toronto City Hall on Tuesday, but it seems a safe bet that a still-unseen video of Mayor Rob Ford will continue to be a topic of conversation. more »
- Canadian on EI shut out amid foreign worker influx
- A jobless Canadian IT professional who is collecting employment insurance is upset because he now suspects several recent jobs he applied for went to temporary foreign workers. more »
- Baseball fuels dreams, desperation in Dominican Republic
- The Toronto Blue Jays have a number of stars from the Dominican Republic, but in the shadow of these successful players is an equally important story about hope and poverty, and a country desperately struggling to balance the two. more »
- Turtle hit by car airlifted 400 km for medical care
- Windsor-Essex students at national gay-straight alliance summit
- Asian carp caught in Grand River near Lake Erie
- Temporary foreign worker bust made in Kingsville
- 'Plausible' that Asian carp have reached Great Lakes
- Building falls at University of Windsor construction site
- Ontario children killed by truck in I-75 pileup, say lawyers
- Huge toxic algae bloom expected for Lake Erie
- Computer science enrolment low, despite opportunities

