ENERGY DRINKS ARE UNDER
FIRE AFTER 13 DEATHS ARE
POSSIBLY LINKED TO ENERGY
SHOTS. THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION IS
INVESTIGATING THE REPORTED
DEATHS.NEWS 18'S HOLLY
CAMPBELL REPORTS THE HEALTH
CONCERNS OF USING ENERGY
DRINKS AND WHAT ENERGY DRINK
DEVELOPERS SAY ABOUT THEIR
PRODUCTS.#@HOLLY: AFTER 13
DEATHS AND 92 REPORTS OF
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND ILLNESSES
RELATED TO ENERGY SHOTS BY
5-HOUR ENERGY...MANY MAY
RECONSIDER REACHING FOR AN
ENERGY SUPPLEMENT TO GET THAT
EXTRA BOOST. NUTRITIONAL
EXPERT DR. DOZIE ONUNKWO SAYS
THERE ARE TWO INGREDIENTS IN
ENERGY DRINKS THAT COULD PUT
YOUR HEALTH IN JEOPARDY.
DOZIE: "NUMBER ONE, PER
SERVING SIZE THE AMOUNT OF
CAFFEINE IN ENERGY DRINKS IS
REALLY A LOT GREATER THAN WHAT
YOU MIGHT GET IN YOUR NORMAL
CUP OF COFFEE AND NUMBER TWO,
ALONG WITH THAT HIGHER AMOUNT
OF CAFFEINE THERE ARE AN
AMOUNT OF STIMULANTS,
UNREGULATED STIMULANTS THAT
ARE ADDED TO THESE DRINKS THAT
CAN BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS."
HOLLY: PURDUE JUNIOR ANDREW
LINFOOT IS THE COCREATER OF
KYK ENERGY POWDER. KYK CAN BE
ADDED TO ANY DRINK TO ADD A
BOOST OF ENERGY. LINFOOT SAYS
WHILE TRAGIC EVENTS ARE BEING
REPORTED IN RELATION TO ENERGY
DRINKS...HE SAYS THERE ISN'T
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE TO PROVE
ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS ARE TO
BLAME. ANDREW: "I FEEL LIKE
THE SITUATION IS OVERBLOWN,
BUT PEOPLE HAVE DIED AND
PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT IT IS BECAUSE
OF THESE ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS
ALTHOUGH THAT IS NOT A
SCIENTIFICALLY BACKED."
HOLLY: MANY PEOPLE WHO
CONSUME ENERGY DRINKS ON A
REGULAR BASIS ARE ADOLESCENTS
AND DR. ONUNKWO SAYS MANY
DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE
POTENTIALLY HURTING THEIR
BODIES. DOZIE: "OVER A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME THIS CAN CAUSE
RISKS TO YOUR LIVER, TO YOUR
KIDNEYS, TO YOUR HEART AND
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
ALL THEY KNOW IS THAT ENERGY
JOLT THAT THEY GET SO THAT'S
REALLY DANGEROUS."HOLLY:
LINFOOT SAYS HIS PRODUCT IS
DESIGNED FOR ADULTS ONLY.
ANDREW: "NOT RECOMMENDED FOR
CHILDREN, TYPICALLY 18 OR
OLDER. IN GENERAL THOUGH, IF
YOU'RE NOT PREDISPOSED TO A
HEART CONDITION, EVEN IF YOU
ARE UNDER 18, YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THESE
PRODUCTS."HOLLY: LINFOOT
DOES STRESS USING KYK, AND ANY
ENERGY DRINK OR SHOT, IN
MODERATION. BUT IF YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR A WAY TO STRAY
AWAY FROM THE SUGARY DRINKS
FILLED WITH CAFFIENE...DR.
ONUNKWO SAYS THERE'S A WAY TO
HAVE ENERGY....NATURALLY.
DOZIE: "RATHER THAN RELYING
ON AN ENERGY DRINK, NUMBER ONE
GET YOUR SLEEP IF YOU CAN AND
NUMBER TWO LOOK AT YOUR
LIFESTYLE. MAKE SURE YOU'RE
EATING PROPERLY AND MAKE SURE
YOU'RE EXCERSING. THOSE ARE
THE BEST WAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR
ENERGY THROUGHOUT THE DAY."
HOLLY: AND ONCE YOU START IT
MAY BE HARD TO STOP. ONUNKWO
SAYS BREAKING THE HABIT COULD
MEAN SUFFERING THROUGH
HEADACHES AND OTHER SYMPTOMS
OF WITHDRAWL DUE TO THE HIGH
AMOUNT OF CAFFEINE. HOLLY
CAMPBELL, NEWS 18. @#
OF WITHDRAWL DUE TO THE HIGH
DOCTOR ONUNKWO SUGGESTS
TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR IF
YOU'RE CONSIDERING TRYING
ENERGY DRINKS. HE ALSO SAYS
HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES TO
ENERGY DRINKS ARE COFFEE AND
GREEN TEA.BOTH CONTAIN A
