THEY ARE as much a part of University culture as Greek organizations, libraries and popped collars: coffee, caffeinated beverages and energy drinks. Whether a Red Bull you buy at Crossroads or an espresso shot from the Clemons vending machine, energy now comes in a can, just about anywhere. These beverages, often used as study aids or as mixers with alcohol, have side effects. It is up to the University not to regulate the sales of these drinks on Grounds, but to educate students about possible side effects of overconsumption of these drinks that could cause serious health risks.
Caffeine can have all sorts of short and long term symptoms. When someone consumes 400 mg of caffeine -- about 3-4 cups of coffee -- in a relatively short time period, they could experience caffeine intoxication. Its symptoms include nervousness, flushed face, insomnia and heart palpitations. Much larger quantities of caffeine could lead to mania, hallucinations or even death. Over an extended period of time, a disease called caffeinism can develop, which consists of similar symptoms as short-term acute overuse, but also could include peptic ulcers and other stomach ailments.
Energy drinks tend to have about twice the amount of caffeine as a regular soft drink (34 mg of caffeine in Coke versus 80 mg in Red Bull). An espresso contains about 100 mg of caffeine. From these numbers, it is easy to see how an exhausted student could lose track of how much caffeine he consumes and pass the 400 mg mark. Even worse, energy drinks are usually packed with sugar that could aggravate some of the symptoms. The sugar and caffeine inevitably lead to a crash that could cause the student to consume more caffeine in a toxic cycle. These energy drinks have drawn so much attention that Red Bull is illegal in France, Denmark, Norway, Uruguay, and Iceland because of high caffeine or taurine content. Still, most students do not really see caffeinated beverages or energy drinks as legitimate threats to their health.
The University has not made any substantial efforts in creating active awareness of these possible effects. Susan Bruce, director of the Center for Alcohol Studies and Education, said in regards to caffeine, "We've been trying to collect some information, but we have focused on prescription abuse mostly." Melanie Brede, a nutritionist in the Office of Health Promotion of Student Health, said there was no specific campaign for caffeine, but said the office is more than willing to take on any questions from students as they arise.
Essentially, students have resources but they must seek them out on their own. The University could take some proactive steps in alerting students about dangers related to caffeine and energy drink usage that could avoid a future tragedy.
The easiest and most simple method to curb the use of these study aides is to create posters and put them in libraries across Grounds. Rather than threaten, these posters could be informative and would probably be seen by most students at some point. Further, messages could be added to the Newcomb LCD screens or on library flier boards. Alternatives could be suggested, such as getting more sleep or, at the very least, sugar free versions of the energy drinks. By simply informing students about how much caffeine leads to symptoms, students will pay closer attention to the amount of caffeine they are consuming. The drinks should be continued to be sold on-Grounds because we are adults and should be able to make our own decisions.
Besides their usage as study aides, energy drinks are often used to mix with alcohol. Because alcohol is a depressant and the energy drink a stimulant, this poses a significant danger. With the effects of the stimulant in your system, the effects of intoxication can be masked, often leading to over-drinking because a person does not feel intoxicated. Once the stimulant has worn off, the effects of the alcohol will suddenly impact a person seemingly all at once. In a study by the Wake Forest School of Medicine, those who combined caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol were twice as likely to get hurt or need medical attention. Such usage must be monitored closely by individuals in order to prevent any of these dangers.
Caffeinated drinks and energy drinks are not the drinks of devil. There are times when an energy drink is appropriate, but as stressed college students, we may feel these times come too frequently. With the help of a little University awareness, students can make the right decisions to consume these drinks appropriately and live a healthier lifestyle.
Rajesh Jain's columns run Wednesday in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at rjain@cavalierdaily.com.
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