EFSA releases first energy drinks report

The first EFSA report on energy drinks focuses on consumption in Europe across all demographics, including children and adolescents. It touches on consumers’^{[1 ]}exposure to active ingredients in the beverage, through both acute and chronicconsumption. These include caffeine, taurine and D-glucurono-y-lactone.

The age group most likely to consume energy drinks was adolescents – 68%of total respondents. Energy drinks when consumed by children aged 3 to 10 years account for an estimated 43% of their total caffeine exposure.

The study examined specific energy drink consumption habits: co-consumption with alcohol or consumption associated with intense physical exercise – amongst adolescents and adults.

The results will beused for EFSA’s risk assessment on the safety of caffeine, particularly in determining if caffeine poses health risks when consumed with alcohol or substances found in energy drinks, and to learn the extent of the impact on health, if any.

The key findings fromthe study^[3] are as follows:

·       Adults (18-65 years): Approximately 30% of adults interviewed were consumers of energy^[4] drinks. Amonstg these, about 12% were “high chronic” consumers (regularly consuming on 4-5 days a week or more), with an average consumption of 4.5 litres a month. About 11% of consumers were “high acute” consumers (drinking at least 1 litrein a single session).

·       Adolescents (10-18 years): Approximately 68% of those interviewed were consumers of energy drinks.  Amongst these, about 12% were “high chronic” consumers, with an average consumption of 7 litres a month, and 12% were “high acute” consumers.

·       Children (3-10 years): Approximately 18% of those interviewed were consumers of energy drinks. Amongst these, around 16% were “high chronic” consumers, with average consumption of 0.95 litres a week (almost 4 litres per month).

·       Co-consumption with aBalenciaga