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Pat Wellenbach/AP
Energy Drinks Popular with Caffeinated Moms
by
Liz Colville
A diverse selection of caffeinated beverages, including coffee, energy drinks, and soda, are keeping busy moms moving.
30-Second Summary
CNN suggests it may be moms who are helping to boost thee recent surge in sales of caffeinated beverages, particularly energy drinks.
Overall sales of caffeinated beverages, including relative newcomers like the energy drink Rockstar, climbed steadily in 2007, with sales of Rockstar up by 38 percent and Red Bull reporting a 19 percent increase, according to Beverage Digest.
A study by the National Sleep Foundation found that nearly 65 percent of moms drink the caffeinated beverages just “to get through their day.” These drinks contain a substantial amount of caffeine—up to 360 milligrams, which is twice the amount in a tall Starbucks coffee.
The energy drink industry is starting to branch out from the initial “bad boy” model of products like Monster Energy Drink, appealing to a wider range of beverage drinkers, including women. Companies are aiming to present themselves as makers of “smart” drinks that more mature consumers can appreciate.
Researchers have contradictory views on caffeine’s health effects.
Recent studies suggest caffeine consumption wards off killers like dementia, some cancers and heart disease, but another study points to an increased risk of miscarriage among pregnant women drinking two to three cups of coffee a day.
Moderation seems to be key, though cardiologist Allen Dollar told CNN that many typical, worrisome side effects of caffeine, such as jitters, nervousness and palpitations, “are very short-term effects and have no long-term consequences whatsoever.”
Overall sales of caffeinated beverages, including relative newcomers like the energy drink Rockstar, climbed steadily in 2007, with sales of Rockstar up by 38 percent and Red Bull reporting a 19 percent increase, according to Beverage Digest.
A study by the National Sleep Foundation found that nearly 65 percent of moms drink the caffeinated beverages just “to get through their day.” These drinks contain a substantial amount of caffeine—up to 360 milligrams, which is twice the amount in a tall Starbucks coffee.
The energy drink industry is starting to branch out from the initial “bad boy” model of products like Monster Energy Drink, appealing to a wider range of beverage drinkers, including women. Companies are aiming to present themselves as makers of “smart” drinks that more mature consumers can appreciate.
Researchers have contradictory views on caffeine’s health effects.
Recent studies suggest caffeine consumption wards off killers like dementia, some cancers and heart disease, but another study points to an increased risk of miscarriage among pregnant women drinking two to three cups of coffee a day.
Moderation seems to be key, though cardiologist Allen Dollar told CNN that many typical, worrisome side effects of caffeine, such as jitters, nervousness and palpitations, “are very short-term effects and have no long-term consequences whatsoever.”
Headline Link: ‘Caffeinated moms drink up to keep up’
One mother of two told CNN that she typically drinks “about four energy drinks, three cups of coffee and a six pack of soda every day.” Parenting expert Stacey DeBroff added that “[Moms] have crammed lives. We work full time, our kids our busier than ever, and we are finding ourselves always on the go."
Source: CNN
Background: Energy drinks take off
Beverage Digest reports on the rising sales in 2007 of caffeinated drinks such as Rockstar and Red Bull.
Source: Beverage Digest
The energy drink market, long appealing to boys and men and dominated by drinks like Red Bull and Monster, recently started to “step outside the 'extreme bad boy' image box,” with many companies starting to appeal to the over-35 category, a hefty 35 percent of all energy drink consumers.
Source: Newswire Today
In the midst of diversifying its image, the energy drink has also started to outpace soda. Sales climbed 56 percent from 2002 to 2007, while the soda market fell one percent over the same period. The market research firm Packaged Facts suggests that energy drinks are winning because they are focusing on health, “reinventing the original soda platform from the late 19th century” and reviving the “functional benefits” first associated with soda.
Source: Packaged Facts
Opinions & Analysis: Pros and cons of caffeine consumption
“Is Coffee—Gulp—Good for You?” takes a look at recent studies on regular caffeine use and its alleged ability to lower the risk of conditions like dementia and some cancers in men and women, as well as a less encouraging study on caffeine consumption during pregnancy, which is connected to a higher miscarriage rate.
Source: findingDulcinea
A recent study on the connection between high blood pressure and caffeine by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who are habitual coffee-drinkers did not suffer from any long-term rise in blood pressure. Blood pressure increases were found to be more common among women who drank coffee occasionally.
Source: News.com.au
The amount of caffeine that consumers drink continues to spark debate among health experts. Regular consumption can lead to a tolerance to caffeine and a gradual increase in the amount consumed. But one recent study of women with a lifetime history of caffeine addiction and a genetic predisposition to alcoholism suggests that caffeine and alcohol addiction “may have similar neurological roots.”
Source: HealthDay News (via Discovery Health)
The withdrawal symptoms from caffeine consumption may be the most detrimental health effects of all. Mother and blogger Tracy Ebert alerts fellow caffeine drinkers to possible symptoms, include loss of concentration, irritability, headaches, and muscle pain or stiffness. Ebert recommends going off caffeine gradually to combat these symptoms.
Source: The Simple Life of the SuperMom
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