“Anti-energy” drink sickens kids

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:21:00 +0000

An “anti-energy” drink named after iconic reggae star Bob Marley caused nausea, vomiting and dizziness among students who purchased the beverage in their school cafeteria. Billed as a “premium relaxation drink,” Marley’s Mellow Mood claims to contain 100% natural botanical ingredients. But the label does include a warning: “The all natural botanical ingredients in this product have been specially blended to mellow your mood, and may cause drowsiness. Best enjoyed when you are ready to relax. Do not mix with alcohol. Not intended for children." Last week, a number of students at a New Jersey middle school were sent to the nurse's office after consuming the beverage and becoming ill. "It was like a zombie-fest," said one student. A spokesperson for Chartwells School Dining Services, who distributed the beverage to cafeterias, issued a statement saying: "We were informed that Marley's was a new product that did not go through the approval process required for all new products...We sincerely regret that this product was sold and that students had an adverse reaction to it." The drinks have since been removed from schools and Chartwells says the on-site manager responsible for the mishap has been removed pending an investigation. In recent years, highly-caffeinated energy drinks like Monster and 5-Hour Energy have been linked to illness and a number of deaths in children and teens; this is the first time an official "anti-energy" drink has come under investigation.

5-Hour Energy cited in reports of 13 deaths

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:10:00 +0000

According to FDA records reviewed by the New York Times, 5-Hour Energy, the highly caffeinated shot "marketed to hardworking adults," has been cited in reports of 13 deaths over the last four years. The Times also learned that since 2009, "5-Hour Energy has been mentioned in some 90 filings with the F.D.A., including more than 30 that involved serious or life-threatening injuries like heart attacks, convulsions and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion." (The Times notes, however, that the incident reports do not "mean that a product was responsible for a death or an injury or contributed in any way to it.")

The distributor of the beverage, Living Essentials, said in a statement that it was “unaware of any deaths proven to be caused by the consumption of 5-Hour Energy.”

The energy drink industry at large is facing "increasing scrutiny over issues like labeling disclosures and possible health risks" as the FDA has also received fatality reports citing another energy drink, Monster Energy. Both drinks are marketed as dietary supplements, which do not have the same reporting or ingredient requirements as beverages.

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“Anti-energy” drink sickens kids

5-Hour Energy cited in reports of 13 deaths