Thirty to 40 percent of kids and teens consume energy drinks which are high in caffeine, sugar and other stimulants. However, as the AP (2/13) reported, “Energy drinks are under-studied, overused and can be dangerous for children and teens, warns a report by doctors who say kids shouldn’t use the popular products. The potential harms, caused mostly by too much caffeine or similar ingredients, include heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death,” according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, which “reviewed data from the government and interest groups, scientific literature, case reports and articles in popular and trade media.”

Notably, these findings come “amid a crackdown on energy drinks containing alcohol and caffeine, like Four-Loko, including recent Food and Drug Administration warning letters to manufacturers and bans in several states because of alcohol overdoses.”