Science Media Centre

Yesterday, the NZFSA put out its caffeine risk profile, particularly focusing on which (if any) elements of the population should try to limit their consumption of high-caffeine energy drinks and shots. Their advice remained as it had previously been: children, young teenagers, pregnant women and people sensitive to caffeine should minimise their consumption of these [...]

A scientific literature review undertaken by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority has found that energy shots and energy drinks which contain high levels of caffeine are not suitable for children, young adolescents, pregnant women and people sensitive to caffeine. The finding reaffirms the NZFSA’s existing advisory on caffeine, which when consumed in high doses [...]

Anna Rushworth writes in the Herald on Sunday that research carried out by the paper showed that energy drinks can raise the heartbeats of some of the people who drink them. Concerns have arisen recently over the marketing of very high caffeine energy drinks to young people.  Heart specialists are suggesting that people not overconsume [...]

Virginia Winder of the Taranaki Daily News writes about the new ultra-high caffeine energy drinks available on the market, and why there is rising concern about their availability. The drinks, which are legally available to teens and children, also contain guarana, a stimulant more potent than caffeine – indeed, the sale of drinks containing guarana [...]