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Amanda Butterfield reporting Utah's Poison Control Center has issued a warning about energy drinks that anyone can buy at the grocery store. Directors say they've had so many calls dealing with overdoses, they want you to know how dangerous they can be.
You've seen the drinks at the store, probably had one or two when you needed a little extra kick, but be warned -- the danger comes in how many cans you consume in one sitting.
Where better to find a group of people who need a little kick then a college campus?
U of U Student Nick Merrell says, "Sometimes I'll drink them before a paper."
All the students we talked to admitted to drinking energy drinks. That's no problem, but it could become one.
Scott Marshall, with poison control, said, "The mentality may be, if one makes me feel pretty good, two will make me feel twice as good, and three will really make me feel great."
Not true. Just read the Utah Poison Control Center's most recent newsletter, and you'll see they don't take overdosing on these drinks lightly.
Marshall said, "If you drink a high enough dose, you can begin to experience effects that aren't pleasant."
Those effects include vomiting, headaches, heart palpitations and nausea. And if you do call poison control for help, it can be tricky for them to treat. Since many energy drinks do not list the amount of each ingredient on the label, emergency crews can't always be sure what they're dealing with.
The Poison Control Center suggested eating whole-grain carbohydrates, fruits and veggies if you need a little extra kick.
Student Daniel Quick said, "Actually, my best friend had a mild heart attack from too many energy drinks. We went to a concert and he had like four or five before. That's why I stopped drinking them."
There's a big difference between energy drinks and sports drinks, like Gatorade. Sports drinks are meant to replenish electrolytes and hydrate you. Energy drinks are meant to give you energy, but with all the caffeine, they're very likely to dehydrate you.
