Among young people is a consumption boom of “Energy drink”the drinks born to improve the sporting performance of athletes, which in a can contain as much caffeine as various cups of espresso coffee.
Every year about 70 million pieces are sold and consumers have doubled in the last year. According to the latest data of the ESFA (European Food Security Agency), in Europe 68% of Under 18 resort to these drinks and 12% are dependent on it.
Most teenagers take them in mode “Binge drinking”that is, without limits and together with various alcohol, according to a fashion all too “easy”.
Also in Italy there is this unstoppable success, about one in three habitually drinks them: they are above all males, estimated in a double percentage compared to females. Not all Italians appreciate them in the same way, the region where more are consumed by Trentino Alto Adige, followed by Veneto, Abruzzo and Sicily. In fact, finding them is easy: they can be obtained in grocery stores, but also in automatic distributors almost everywhere.
Lately, further alternatives and condensed formats have been put on the market: chewing tires, syrups, effervescent tablets. The trend goes towards a daily consumption, daytime, even among adults, almost to supplant the classic cup of espresso coffee.
Dr. Emanuele Scafato, president of the Italian Society of Alcology and vice -president of the European Federation of Scholarships on Dependencies, says: “It is a ritual, we move from the aperitif to the surplus and end up with the energy drink, deluding that it puts back in sixth after a hangover; in addition, the boys do not know that they are potentially dangerous products, but they take them as a supplement, who, as needed, pulls up. “
The biggest problem is given by the mix of “Energy-Medk” and alcoholbecause caffeine reduces the sense of drunkenness and, therefore, the individual may not realize that he is drunk and not perceiving that he has reached the limit, thus continuing consumption; The risk is the loss of awareness of one’s actions (example, to drive in precarious conditions).
The euphoria also leads to no longer try any fear, also pushing to commit very dangerous and extreme acts, for the feeling of invulnerability.
As for the effects, some studies of the University of Yale have shown that attention deficits and hyperactivity increase by 68% among those who use it, together with anxiety, dizziness, tachycardia, insomnia, tremors; Scafato, in fact, adds: “The problem is not only the caffeinethe can also contain Taurina, Ginseng and Guaranà, all stimulating that in large quantities favor the onset of cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, arrhythmias and, in predisposed subjects, slacked severe heart disorders “.
In fact, most of the ingredients are not in themselves harmful, but they can become dangerous if taken at high doses and, according to experts, lead to a real dependence: e.g. The amino acid taurine, glucoronolatone, which stimulates memory and concentration, and inositol, a vitamin that improves mood and stimulates the brain to better use serotonin, with a mechanism similar to that of many antidepressant drugs.
According to nutritionists, they should only be consumed on particular occasions: example, before a demanding physical effort or an important sports test, always associating them with a lot of water during intense exercise, to avoid the risk of dehydration.
Occasionally indulging in a “Energy Drink” is not to be condemned, with a balanced diet and correct physical activity, the exception can be there, as long as it does not become a habit.
Since young people are the greatest consumers, companies turn to them with ad hoc advertising and marketing: the message that want to pass is that, thus, their physical and mental performances will increase, very convincing in an age in which social relationships are at the center of existence and thoughts, while shyness and unpopularity are shocked considered the worst defects.
It is an invitation to overcome one’s limits (“putting wings”) and prohibitions. The strategy implemented is interesting: often the main communication channel is not TV, or the press, but the constant presence of the product in events frequented by young people (e.g. concerts, sporting or student events, etc.), thus exploiting the power of conviction of the peers themselves, recruiting children in the role of ambassadors and/or promoters, or personalizing objects of worship, as a famous car.
To contrast their abuse, as already happens for alcohol, now we try to invite a moderate consumptionpending European standards that provide for written labels as “high content of caffeine”, “not recommended for minors and pregnant women”, etc. not yet present on the packaging; There are those who also ask to add the possible cardiovascular risk, after in France and the USA deaths occurred (5 cases known from 2009 to 2012) linked to complications for mix of alcohol and energy drink: scientific studies, in fact, have highlighted consequences as a heart attack and the apopletic blow.
In addition, it would be useful to prohibit all those advertisements that provide images of minors and convey messages that suggest an incredible increase in performancessocial and/or sexual success, given that the wisers hope precisely in achieving a winning image, both in terms of physical and mental prosecutors, emulating the models that rage on the web and on TV.
Less serious, but still relevant, is the “only” dependence on Cola -based drinksespecially in the light version, which can be considered an aspect related to the previous one. Darren Jones, 38 years old English, confesses to an interview with the newspaper “Daily Mail” to consume about 18 cans a day and to reach 42 liters per week; If he cannot get his daily “dose”, he is bad, he goes into abstinence, becomes Irascible and unstable mood.
His problem would have worsened especially over the past 10 years, so much so that he does not even plan to leave the house without having a side of cans below. “I don’t drink anything else – confesses – And if I don’t have my bottles, my family says that having around me becomes a nightmare“.
Certainly, even the best -known drink in the world, sold everywhere in increasingly large “convenience formats”, in massive doses is harmful as it contains many sugars (about 24 tablespoons of sugar in one liter), which exponentially increase the risk of the onset of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, now recognized as often fatal.
Recently the news was released that actress Demi Moore would be the victim of the dependence on energy drinks and Cola Light, which would use meals as a substitute, not to fatten and “keep up” at particularly difficult and/or stressful moments.
As regards psychological therapy, this is based, in general, on the same principles that regulate psychotherapy aimed at overcoming the other types of dependence on substances, both legal and illegal.
It is necessary, first of all, that the subject is motivated to change of his misunderstanding lifestyle, accept and understand that he has a problem and decides to take a path followed by a therapist, during which he will learn alternative and more correct methods of behavior, and to manage any critical and/or repercussions.
There psychotherapy ad cognitive-behavioral address It is considered the most suitable for this type of disorders, both in terms of timing and, above all, of proven efficacy.
