Today's warning about youth consumption of energy drinks matched the practical wisdom of parents, teachers and doctors I interviewed. Parents didn't want younger kids drinking energy drinks at all, but permitted teens to have them in limited circumstances (not every day). Park Nicollet pediatrician Andrew Rzepka said parents need to refrain from drinking energy drinks themselves -- at least in front of their kids -- if they don't want their kids to crave them.

"Don't tell me that your kid can't do this when you do this," he said.

Caffeine intake for sports performance is a tricky issue. A Google search turns up studies showing caffeine's ability to boost performance and endurance. That's one reason why caffeine was banned in the Olympics until 2004. The ban has since been lifted, but caffeine levels in athletes are still being measured and the prospect of another ban remains if the tests find high levels in athletes.

Doctors said the potential boost from caffeine isn't worth it for children and young athletes, who run the risk of deydration and heart problems if they take high levels of the stimulant. Dr. William Roberts, who directs the medical advisory committee for the Minnesota State High School League, wrote about this issue last fall. See his advisory to Minnesota athletes: http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/news/Fluid_Replacement.doc

Below is year-to-date 2011 data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers on the 331 reported caffeine overdoses related to energy drinks. Most were mild, and required no hospitalization or medical care.

Clinical Effect Count No Effect 106 Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) 60 Other 59 Agitated/irritable 55 Vomiting 33 Nausea 31 Chest pain (incl. noncardiac) 19 Drowsiness/lethargy 18 Hypertension 17 Tremor 15 Dizziness/vertigo 13 Abdominal Pain 11 Erythema/flushed 10 Headache 10

Outcome Count Not followed, minimal clinical effects possible (no more than minor effect possible) 112 Minor effect 80 Moderate effect 44 No effect 41 Unable to follow, judged as a potentially toxic exposure 37 Unrelated effect, the exposure was probably not responsible for the effect(s) 9 Not followed, judged as nontoxic exposure (clinical effects not expected) 6 Major effect 2 Total 331