Study Calls For Warnings On Energy Drinks After Kids Get Sick

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Tremors, seizures and heart issues---all symptoms of thousands of children sickened by energy drinks. That's according to a new study from the American Heart Association. Now researchers are calling for stricter health warnings.

Meghan McCorkell has more on the dangerous effects.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against energy drink companies by families who say the drinks contributed to the deaths of their loved ones.

Maryland 14-year-old Anais Fournier died after her family says she drank two cans of Monster energy drink in a 24-hour period. Her cause of death: cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity.

"Energy drinks can be extremely dangerous. They can kill people," said the family's attorney, Kevin Goldberg.

Goldberg represents Fournier's family in a lawsuit against Monster.

Now there's word that energy drinks are affecting children younger than Fournier. A new study shows poison control centers got more than 5,100 calls about energy drinks over a three year period. Forty percent involved children under six.

"A third of those kids ended up in the hospital or having serious effects like tremors, nausea, vomiting, seizures and significant complications," said Dr. Scott Krugman, Medstar Franklin.

According to the study, some energy drinks have up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per can. A cup of coffee only has about 100 to 150.

"The amount of caffeine, that's not good for kids at all," said one.

"I really don't think they should be drinking them. I had them in college and I know the effects they had on me," said another.

The American Beverage Association says "Leading energy drink makers voluntarily place advisory statements on energy drink packaging stating that energy drinks are not recommended for children."

But Goldberg is pushing for a ban on energy drink sales to minors in Maryland.

"There's no place for energy drinks in the diet of children," he said.

In hopes it could stop them from getting into the wrong hands.

A similar attempt at a ban never made it out of committee last legislative session.

In a statement, Monster Energy said they are not aware of any fatality anywhere linked to their drinks.

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