Dr Atta Owuraku Jnr, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alpha Homeopathic Clinic at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region, has said the amount of sugar and caffeine in energy drinks can have adverse effects on the health of consumers.
He said although energy drinks were generally safe, they should be taken in moderation since consuming much could lead to heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, sexual weakness and could make a person feel jittery and irritable.
Dr Owuraku Jnr stated these during an award ceremony held in his honour together with two other individuals and five institutions at Nkawkaw for their meritorious contribution towards the development of healthcare in their respective areas.
According to him, “A typical energy drink could contain up to 80 milligrammes of caffeine about the same amount as a cup of coffee and are designed for students, athletes and anyone else who wants an extra energy kick.”
He said caffeine worked by blocking the effects of adenosine, a brain chemical involved in sleep “and when it succeeds in blocking the effects of adenosine, it causes neurons in the brain to work as if the body is in an emergency.”
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Dr Owuraku continued…“Caffeine also affects the levels of dopamine, a chemical in the brain's pleasure centre and all these physical responses make one feel as though he has more energy. Overtime, caffeine could become addictive and cause the kidneys to remove extra fluid into the urine and thereby leave less fluid in the body.”
“Most people mix energy drinks with alcohol to make a high-energy cocktail, but since alcohol is a depressant, it has a tranquilising effect on the body that can make the individual unaware of how much he/she had drunk,” he added.
“Because little research has been done on the long-term health effects of consuming taurine and other ingredients in energy drinks, this has led to misinformation and misuse of energy drinks by the public”, urging pregnant women and children to avoid drinking them.
President of MicJoy Advertising (MJA), a media consult, Michael Nana Ampong, charged leaders in the country to institute award schemes to honour individuals and institutions who are contributing towards national development.
He commended the individuals and institutions for emerging winners of the MJA Africa Quality Awards Scheme which is aimed at appreciating the contributions of hardworking Ghanaians.
From Daniel Bampoe, Nkawkaw
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