So what energy, soda or caffeinated drink and in what volume is considered safe?
The following recommendations for caffeine ingestion vary, but a good average across the board looks to be: adults can consume around 400mg/day of caffeine, pregnant women should stay below 300mg/day. A five-year old child should consume no more than 1 soda/day at 45mg caffeine [at the most]. And if you include a caffeinated soda in a Childs daily diet, this would mean no chocolate, tea, or any other food source with caffeine in it.
“A five-year old child should consume no more than 1 soda/day at 45mg caffeine [at the most]. …” Or one cup of chocolate.
As a point of reference, 1 energy drink does not equate to an 8oz cup of coffee (130mg/cup). One energy drink for example can have the equivalence of several cups of coffee!
Energy drinks flooded the marketplace over a decade ago, with ever increasing popularity within the teenage demographic. Within youth sports for example, energy drinks seem to be the rage and norm… because of the quick boost one receives before exercise activities… and employee’s become dependent on the drinks to accomplish work.
So what’s the bottom line on health risk? Here’s just a few updated citations I found recently on the Internet.
Ageless MirrorAthlete reveals the hard to find consumer safety issues of the day. Also, learn how to live the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now! Simply click on the book banner to preview the book on Amazon.
“Energy drinks ‘can be dangerous because large amounts of caffeine may cause serious heart rhythm, blood flow and blood pressure problems,’ the NIH (National Institution of Health) has warned.”
“Researchers with the American Heart Association have warned that energy drinks can be ‘life-threatening,’ especially for those already with high blood pressure or cardiac issues.”
“The drinks have led to death. E.g., In 2017, a South Carolina teenager died after consuming an excessive amount of caffeine in a short amount of time.”
“Children with still-developing cardiovascular and nervous systems are also at risk as caffeine could harm them. The American Academy of Pediatrics said children should “never” consume energy drinks.”
“‘These energy drinks – one of the biggest problems – is that we haven’t the faintest idea what’s in them,’ Dr. Steven Nissen, M.D. of Cleveland Clinic pointed out.” “The manufacturers of these drinks are not required, by law, to disclose the contents. Those who have performed independent analysis on them have learned, at least a few of the drinks, are just loaded with huge amounts of caffeine.”
We already know exercise increases heart rate and blood pressure. When Energy drinks are introduced into the circulatory system and one participates in sport activity your system becomes super revved. The problem is, if you have an undiagnosed health issue, where an increased surge in circulatory pressure could lead to a stroke or heart attack. This leads one to wonder – is there a connection between high-dose caffeination and teenage deaths on the football field?
In 2012, Swedish authorities warned and believed mixing energy drinks with alcohol and drinking energy drinks after exercise can cause death! There was no hard scientific evidence available then on that health risk connection. “We are going through the Autopsy reports… ” (Anders Glyn, of the Swedish National Food Administration). Dr. Dan Andersson of Stockholm’s South Hospital stated, “If you drink a lot of Red Bull, and you are dehydrated, and/or mix it with alcohol, it can be very dangerous.” There have been recent incidents where energy drinks mixed with alchohol
“Swedish authorities warned and believed mixing energy drinks with alcohol and drinking energy drinks after exercise can cause death!”
Back in 2012, within the United States there was a crack down on manufacturers and retailers who made and sold energy drinks with alcohol in it. The FDA sent warning letters to manufactures… banning specific types of energy and alcoholic drinks in several states because of overdoses.
There is “a growing concern over the potential connection of energy drinks, alcohol and teen sport deaths.”
READ OUR FULL ARTICLE WRITTEN ON TOPIC which provides poison control data and a growing concern over the potential connection of energy drinks, alcohol and teen sport deaths. Also, you’ll learn about other ingredients in energy drinks that the FDA does not require to be listed on consumer labels.
It’s what many don’t know about the energy drink chemical composition that contributes to the cause of increased illness and disease and in some cases – shortened lifespans. This is enough reason alone to stick to coffee, tea and decaffeinated drinks [if caffeine intolerant] … Too much of any chemical-stimulant on the mind and body; and in the long run is not a healthy habit for anyone.
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2012-20 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
Fast food’s consumed likely contain GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms)
Updated: 22 September 2018
I remember long ago our family would plant hundreds of vegetable seeds in mid May on the family farm. This annual planting would produce a multitude of organic vegetables for meals.
Also one of our main crops (pumpkins) would be sold at the local market in October.
What we didn’t sell or consume would then be canned as a provisional food source that would last until next years crop was harvested. Times have definitely changed from when I grew up.
For as long as I can remember the foods farmed by American families were the most nutritious and healthiest throughout the world. However, that distinguished honor is no longer the case. A major factor for the decline of nutrition within the food industry has to do with escalating costs of farming foods-to-table. This has led to farming foods in labs before it hits the shelf.
Most consumers don’t know food industry’s are made up of 8-10 major food chain monopolies. But for the sake of simplicity I’m going to use a few examples of how reengineering of lab farmed foods is harming health. In this way it is easier to understand why it’s so hard for consumers to remove harmful foods from the diet… especially when labels don’t disclose GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) information. Monsanto has been producing man made GMO crop seeds and chemical food sweeteners (e.g., Aspartame brands: NutraSweet, Spoonful and Equal-Measure) for some time now.
Artificial Sweeteners in Nearly all non-concentrate.
Many food products consumed from the local grocery store now contain more engineered ingredients than one can imagine. The likes of Procter & Gamble (P&G) foods corporation is one of the largest producers of products that are petroleum based and comprised of Genetically Modified (GM) crops produced from GMO seeds resistant to herbicides and pesticides as was the case in the popular Pringles potato chip product.
Not so long ago, some 800,000 cans of Pringles potato chips had been recalled in Japan because the potatoes used to make the chips had the gene-altered NewLeafPlus and NewLeaf Y components developed by Monsanto in the vegetables DNA! This gene altered potato is approved for consumption in the United States but not in Japan! So one has to wonder, why is the gene altered potato still sold within American markets and not the Japanese markets? And should this ban mean something to the American people? I think it should and the proof is in what P&G did next.
They sold its Pringles business to the Diamond Foods Snack Company for $2.35b in 2011. Then in 2012 the Diamond deal fell apart and the Kellogg Company bought Pringles for $2.7b in cash. Thereafter P&G decided to focus more on its house hold cleaners and beauty products. These products have know carcinogenic ingredients [i.e., household cleaners, pet foods, cosmetics and personal care products].
Could it be that P&G and Diamond Foods Snack Company’s didn’t want the consumer backlash? Could it be that the new shareholder coalition Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and GMO health risk connection is making sense to the 40 plus food companies [i.e., Safeway, Sysco, Whole Foods, Kellogg, Kraft, Heinz, Hershey’s, Starbucks, etc.]. The shareholder coalition message to these companies reports how Monsanto and GE foods are bad for Investors. Could these decisions to bail out have anything to do with consumer health and liability risk.
GMO Corporations have been criticized for funding anti-labeling attempts to prevent disclosure laws from becoming public knowledge, while also working to weaken Europe’s laws regarding toxins in household products. And now these messages have spread to the largest economies in the world!
California field ready to plant.
California consumer advocates continue to supports mandatory GMO labeling as attempted during a Ballot initiative in 2012. Over 80% of polls support GMO labeling for consumers. Since California is the 8th largest economy in the world if the initiative passed it would have had a dramatic effect on changing consumer packaging and ingredient decisions nation-wide.
“The California Senate rejected on Wednesday a bill that would require labels on genetically-engineered foods. This is the second time in two years that labeling legislation has fallen short in the most populous and agriculturally-productive state.” [RT.com, May 31, 2014]
“Now Colorado and Oregon have ballot measure out to the voters to determine if their states will support the labeling of GMO’s on food ingredients.” [MirrorAthlete, 23 Oct, 2014]
“While state-level initiatives continue, other groups are focusing their attention on passing labeling legislation at the national level. Among them is the Just Label It (JLI) campaign, a national coalition of more than 600 diverse organizations working for the mandatory federal labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods (JustLabelIt.org 2018). In time I believe GE labeling laws will become a mandatory federal law.
It’s interesting to note Monsanto and Procter & Gamble have the same institutional corporate owners. The top institutional owner of P&G foods is Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., holdings, which owns ~$4.9b in P&G stock (NYSE: PG). Proctor and Gamble current revenues (ttm) are ~$83.68b. Also Bill Gates invested and purchased 500,000 shares of Monsanto Stock (NYSE: MON) and supported the use of GM crop technology [data reviewed – Oct 2014]. I’m not sure about their positions to date.
It’s very difficult to make change to consumer product laws when windfall profits for investors, employee jobs, market economies and corporate holdings are at stake.
Regardless – No matter how much money these moguls have and what interests they control – They can’t hide the animal studies that tell consumers truths about GMO’s and potential impact on human health. Animal studies show how Monsanto’s GMO corn is likely linked to organ damage and Aspartame as a cause of diabetes and obesity.
Food carts – Serve some of the most unhealthy foods one could consume.
There are reported toxicity reactions divided by the estimated reporting rate and where scientific studies corroborate that chronic aspartame ingestion and health damage has affected well over one million consumers in the U.S. This is not so hard to fathom especially when you think of all the sodas and processed foods consumed on an annual basis. Artificial lab farmed sweeteners is one of the primary causes of diabetes and “near” childhood obesity epidemic in this country.
It is also not well known by consumers, Aspartame Monsanto’s artificial sweetener is 200 times sweeter than sugar per equivalent volume. And is also one of the most taste altering addictions that stimulate consumers taste preference for rich high fat calorie foods. Science shows us Aspartame products are also responsible for Formaldehyde poisoning! How’s that? Aspartame is an unstable chemical when stored (warehousing) too long in warm temperatures, the chemical properties of the artificial sweetener within soda cans converts to another type of dangerous chemical.
Monsanto has contributed greatly to changing our entire food chain by genetically altering many food crops DNA molecular structure – through GMO technology and super sweetening of foods.
Genetically modified crops have never been an integral part of the human or animal diet prior to the mid-latter 20th century. The health consequences for those who over consume GM crop products are currently unknown. Various scientific animal studies reveal to us that GM livestock feed and processed food ingredients correlate a clear negative impact on the function of the kidneys and liver. It is more important than ever that more research focuses on the toxicity and mutation GM crop varieties may have on vital organs and DNA.
Looking at Genetically Modified (GM) Crops a Little Closer.
GM lab farmed products is an engineered process where a recombinant (genetic recombination) technology uses DNA molecules from different sources to combine and create a new set of genes within crop seeds for example. This is done to make crops more resistant to decay, insects, chemical fertilizers, etc. In this way farmers can mass produce volumes of what appears to be healthy food for consumer markets using less chemical sprays and fertilizers.
It’s not just the GMO corn and potatoes that the consumers should be aware of when purchasing product within the marketplace. For example, corn is not only available off the husk, but also comes canned, as cooking oil, or processed corn starch, etc. Products such as cereals and baked snacks (as in seen in our Pringles example) are processed from the same crops which likely have artificial sweetener additives as well! Let’s not forget about the livestock being fattened up by GM corn feed. Now you can see how our food and personal use products have been re-engineered and connection to health problems.
Hyper-Sweetened foods contribute to disease
Is it any wonder Corporate controlled and protected artificial sweetener testing continues at Monsanto, torturing the ethics of academic medicine? [Prevailing Winds, Issue 1, 1995]. They do so without fear of retribution because the FDA, our consumer protection agencies turns a blind eye by accepting these corporate studies as safe consumer products. [US Congressional Record, Volume 131, No. 106, August 1, 1985, pages S10826-S10827]
Why does this type of regulatory protection continue? I believe it has a lot to do with corporate, institutional and governmental greed, power and control. This marketplace dynamic is contributing to higher health care costs and more obese children and adult health problems than any other time in history.
I’ve listed the Top GM Food Crops that likely contain GM DNA. If you want to know more about artificial sweeteners and GMO crops, simply see the referenced links below.
Corn – Monsanto revealed 50% of American sweet farm growers now use GMO seeds that have been modified to create its own insecticide. Mice studies show when fed with GMO corn, offspring are smaller and there were fertility problems.
Tomatoes – GM tomato seeds prevent the vegetable from easily rotting and have been specifically engineered for longer shelf life. Some mice fed these tomatoes after a couple of weeks died.
Dairy Products – Monsanto has created a recombinant (genetically modified) bovine growth hormone that’s injected into 22% of our U.S. dairy cows to increase insulin growth factor (IGF-1). It is warned by scientists that increase in IGF-1 in humans have been associated with colon and breast cancer.
Potatoes – Mice fed potatoes with Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki Cry 1 had toxins in their bodies. Although studies show stability of the Cry1 toxin in the mouse gut, there have been studies that show just the opposite results.
Peas – A gene from kidney beans was inserted into the DNA of peas to create a protein that functions as a pesticide. This GM crop has been found to cause immune responses in mice. However, it is not known the impacts on human consumption.
Rice – South East Asia’s rice is now GM to contain high levels of vitamin. It is not known if rice production in the U.S. in now GM rice varieties with human protein genes to help thwart infant diarrhea in 3rd world countries. Unknown allergic reactions and other mutated gene transfers are now of a serious public health and environmental concerned as reported by an online journal, China Daily.
Soy – Products that are manufactured from the soy bean now have the GE resistive herbicide DNA structure within various foods (Soy products: flour, tofu, beverages, oil, pastries and baked products). Hamsters that were fed GE soy products resulted in infertility and a high mortality rate.
Cotton – Cotton has been GM to resist pesticides like corn and soy. Cotton is considered food because cooking oil can be extracted from the seeds and consumed. Thousands of Indian farmers suffered severe rashes upon exposure to Chinese agricultural methods in order to kill the cotton bollworm.
Does organic without certification really mean organic?
Rapeseed – Canola is made from the edible Canadian Rapeseed crop; which most are familiar as a popular processed cooking oil and margarine. Honey can also be produced from GM rapeseed. As much as 1/3 of all pollen present in Canadian honey may likely be GM pollen. For lack of animal studies it is unclear how these GM food sources will impact our health.
Papaya – Papaya crops produced in Hawaii was modified in 1999 to be virus-resistant. Also, Monsanto provided Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India the GM technology to further develop a resistant ring spot virus papaya for India. For lack of animal studies it is unclear how these GM food sources will impact health.
As consumers need more to worry about… Research is also beginning to show links to Morgellon’s Disease correlated with GM recombinant foods.
This disease a few years back was a mystery, or something one conjured up in the head. But the opposite is being shown to be the case. Patients have presented strange skin irritations, skin anomalies and most specifically a mysterious tiny blue, red and black fiber growth that protrudes from an itchy skin lesion on areas of the body and where GM foods are concentrated, sold and consumed. There appears to be a direct correlation with these fiber samples that are not of human DNA origins, but in fact when comparing these fiber samples, Ahmed Kilani (researcher) found they belonged to a fungus. Then it was found by Vitaly Citovsky (biochemist) and determined that these fibers contained a substance called Agro bacterium. This substance is used commercially to produce genetically-modified plant foods!
For now, the lack of national labeling requirements makes it hard to know which foods have GM ingredients. You’re also now aware ~10 of our major farmed food staples may be partially or fully produced from GM seeds. And other products such as dairy, fish, meats and processed snack foods could have GM ingredients.
Regardless of organic certification – local farmed foods are typically better than most store bought foods outside of local farms.
Recommendation – If you currently have immune, or other health, illness or disease issues, or are concerned about GM foods – consume more organic foods. The best prevention to mitigate possible health risks from GM foods is to shop as organic as possible and purchase more foods labeled “certified organic.”
Be sure to vote for GMO food labeling disclosure laws when it gets on your states ballots as it is your right to know what your consuming!
Jol Spiroux de Vend,´mois1, Franois Roullier1, Dominique Cellier1,2, Gilles-Eric Sralini1,3 A Comparison of the Effects of the Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health. Int J Biol Sci 2009; 5(7):706-726. doi:10.7150/ijbs.5.706. http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm#headingA11
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2014-18 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
Many years back, I posted Dr. H. J. Roberts, Aspartame and Shocking Health Risks, featured in MirrorAthlete’s March 08 newsletter.
I’ve now updated this important topic to a group of new subscribers and consumers. Which include Victoria Inness-Brown’s famous experiment that exposed the truth about Monsanto the manufacture of Aspartame and its harmful effects on human health. Aspartame a substitute sweetener is alive and well and its addictive qualities are now hidden within approximately another thousand food products then when I first posted this information in 2008.
While the chemical alone has the potential to make you fall ill with who knows what, I believe as scientific evidence showed us during the seventies, nothing has changed except the number of people who’ve become obese and those who now have diabetes disease. There appears to be a strong correlation between this disease and Aspartames addictive flavor and weight gaining properties. And this chemical sweetener appears to be a major contributor to an increasing childhood obesity epidemic. Other illness and disease may be related to Aspartame, but epidemiological and controlled studies are still controversial and inconclusive for various subjective and objective reasoning as you’ll soon learn.
Ageless MirrorAthlete covers among other things – hard to find fit healthy lifestyle and consumer truths. Learn how to live the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now!
Aspartame History Matters,
“In 1975 the FDA came to the conclusion that aspartame should not be allowed on the market. They requested that further studies be conducted. The FDA’s next move was to set up a public board of inquiry composed of outside experts to investigate the safety of aspartame, and in 1980 that board unanimously rejected aspartame’s request for approval. Another internal FDA panel convened in 1980 also rejected aspartame for approval. If you count the Bressler Report compiled after 1977, FDA scientist’s uncovered fraud and manipulation so wrought with concerns they forwarded the files to the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s office for prosecution” [Mercola, 2015].
So this was 4 strikes against Monsanto of the times prior to FDA approval. But this didn’t detour Monsanto from getting their product approved to market. Eventually deep pockets prevailed and the FDA approved the chemical sweetener to market. The controversy and untold truths still continue today and the health concerns connected to the Aspartame have only grown. [Refer to www.mercola.com]. Yes the reality is we’re living in a grand social-consumer experiment. Where there is no consequence to its creators and/or trustees who’ve unleased food chemical assault on consumers, whereas global effects on human health continue to be realized.
Early on, within Dr. Roberts talking points back in March 08, I learned his consumer safety talking points back then pertaining to Aspartame should not be taken lightly. Here are the facts.
Aspartame is profitable. For example Maryland-based biotech company Genex Corp., went from reporting $14.3m in 1985 revenues to $2.8m in 1986 after they lost their aspartame business.
Aspartame was initially listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent. How does a consumer make sense out of this?
Chemical changes occur within Aspartame sodas when stored in warm temperatures. Thereafter chemical properties are transformed into a chemical poison and toxins and bad for our health.
Aspartame is a common sugar substitute in our food chain keeping us overweight and known cause of diabetes. Aspartame is extremely bad for those now diagnosed with diabetes.
There is a direct correlation between children with ADD and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and childhood obesity.
Monsanto’s patent on Aspartame has expired, now there are over 6,000 products on the shelves [~5000 known in 2008] containing aspartame. It is also marketed as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful. And who knows exactly how many other brands contain this chemical.
Uninformed parents are unknowingly poisoning their children and themselves through easy bake, baked snacks or prepared or processed deserts, soda, ice cream, candy treats, weight loss and dietary foods, etc.
The American Diabetes and Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians know about the Aspartame and health risk connections and acknowledge it. While the U.S. FDA and many medical doctors endorse Aspartame as completely safe for human consumption!
Children are specifically at risk and susceptible to Aspartame poisoning because of their thin undeveloped blood brain barrier. This chemical effect on this barrier lowers its resistance to toxins absorbed by the body and increases the potential of neural cell death. …
… Aspartames chemical breakdown of this brain barrier could leave one susceptible to many types of disease. For example, Multiple Sclerosis, hormonal problems, Alzheimer’s and dementia, ALS [also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease], hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease, brain lesions, memory loss, epilepsy, neuroendocrine disorders, etc. The list of potential disease and ill-health problems are too numerous to list. However, it should be noted if you have symptoms of any of the aforementioned disease, in some cases once consumption of Aspartame products is stopped the symptoms clear up. [Refer to: www.mercola.com, Aspartame: Is This FDA-Approved Sweetener Causing Brain Damage?].
Victoria Inness-Brown’s experiment proved on April 2011 that Aspartame is something all consumers should be educated on. This experiment truly challenged Monsanto and FDA to defend its position that Aspartame is a safe food chemical sweetener.
Summarizing Victoria Inness-Brown’s experiment: Her family was addicted to diet soda’s. “Concerned aspartame would one day lead to illness or disease, she performed an aspartame experiment. Starting with 108 rats for 2 years and 8 months. The dose – She gave the rats a daily dose of NutraSweet comparable to 14 cans of diet soda per day for the females, and 13 cans for the males.” [http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/09/victoria-innessbrowns-aspartame-experiment.aspx#!]
Victoria ensured the doses per rat weight was adjusted, using under Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), set by the FDA and considered safe for human consumption. However, even after safe adjusted dosage distribution fed daily, thirty seven percent of the female rats developed tumors, some of massive size.
“One 12 oz. diet soda contains about 180mg of aspartame/15mg per oz, which equals approximately 4.5 packets of NutraSweet. The propaganda industry-machine tells consumers the ADI, set by the FDA equates to about 20, 12oz-diet soda for adults, or 6 for children is safe and acceptable. If the rats get sick consuming far under ADI, why wouldn’t we?”
The insanity of it all, aspartame was once undeniably opposed by the FDA for approval to marketplace. Presently its chemical composition has not changed since the 80’s and continues to be claimed a safe food additive and recommended by many doctors as a safe sweetener substitute.
Consumer Safety Recommendation: Do not consume aspartame, or products marketed under the following brands: NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, Equal-Measure and Canderel. Aspartame can be found in more than 6,000 products. Including, but not limited to: Diet sodas, juice drinks, flavored waters, chewing gum, table-top sweeteners, diet and diabetic foods, breakfast cereals, such as Fiber One, fiber supplements, such as orange flavored Metamucil, jams, and other sweets.
Be sure to read your food labels to ensure you’re not consuming this dangerous chemical. Only purchase foods sweetened with natural sugars. If the label does not mention Aspartame, just keep this in mind: If it says artificial, substitute or other sweeteners, chances are its Aspartame or some other generic or similar manmade chemical sweetener.
I try to only consume products with sugar cane, or natural fruits, or one of the 3 major and naturally occurring sugars: lactose, fructose or maltose. If you’re diabetic or allergic to any foods, or currently have disease, there may be health implications of consuming too many natural sugars as well. Always seek dietary and medical advice from your doctor when any ill-health symptoms occur.
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2015 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
