Informe del Comité Científico de la Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) sobre los riesgos asociados al consumo de bebidas energéticas

Abstract

The consumption of energy drinks has increased substantially over the past decades, reaching 2 % of all soft drinks in Spain. In addition to caffeine, energy drinks generally contain other ingredients such as taurine, L-carnitine, glucuronolactone, guarana, ginseng and B vitamins, among others. They may also provide up to 11 g of sugar per 100 ml, although “sugar free” options are also available. After a risk assessment of the Spanish population’s dietary exposure to the active components generally present in energy drinks, the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has concluded that energy drinks are not recommended for children and pregnant or lactating women. It also recommends collaborating with the drinks industry to improve the consumer information provided in energy drink labels, promoting not only the enumeration of all active ingredients in the list of ingredients but also their content. With regard to caffeine content in energy drinks, consuming energy drinks with low levels of caffeine is more advisable in order to prevent and reduce the probability of disruptions to the sleep cycle and other adverse health effects, depending on different population groups. Future actions should include an assessment of the consumption, exposure, and risks related to other “caffeine consumption models” such as caffeine shots. With regard to D-glucuronolactone, the daily energy drink intake of 250 ml in consumers weighing 60 and 70 kg of body weigth has a margin of safety greater than or equal to 100. The consumption of energy drinks entails a high risk of hypervitaminosis for Vitamin B3 (nicotinic acid or niacin), medium risk for vitamins B3 (nicotinamide) and B6, and low risk of hypervitaminosis for vitamins B2, pantothenic acid, and B12. With reference to the presence of plant-based ingredients, the biological activity of the different active principles and their drug interaction capacity must not be underestimated. The consumer must be informed not only of the included contents but also of the possibility/risk of drug interaction, as well as those situations where their intake is contraindicated. Thus, energy drinks that contain ginseng must be avoided not only in pregnancy, when breastfeeding, and in children, but also in adolescents below the age of 18, given the absence of an assessment of the effects of ginseng on these population groups. Energy drinks containing ginkgo must also be avoided during pregnancy and when breastfeeding. With regard to sugar intake from the consumption of energy drinks that contain sugar, it is estimated that an intake of 250 ml may represent 10 % of the energy in 2200-2400 kcal diets, which would make it very easy to exceed the recommended daily intake of simple sugars. The growing preoccupation with assessing the health risks of energy drinks is accompanied by an interest in improving consumer knowledge, promoting moderate consumption and avoiding unsafe behaviours, especially in combination with alcoholic drinks. Spain must join European efforts to compile data on energy drink consumption and consumption trends by means of annual actions to monitor and raise awareness within the community. This would enable an assessment of the contribution of these energy drinks to the dietary exposure to caffeine and other active ingredients in specific consumer groups; make a risk assessment; and design action plans differentiating the population groups at greatest risk (children and adolescents). In addition, a greater control of advertising is suggested, especially that directed to the young population. It is recommended to promote compliance with the industry commitment in the commercialization of small packages (not exceeding 250 ml) that contribute to moderate exposure to the different active components, some of them psychoactive, and to study the possibility of suspending the commercialization of 500 ml packages