Encouraging Health

Products Need Warning Labels, Scientist Says; Industry Contends They’re Safe to Drink

Caffeinated energy drinks that promise super alertness — and sometimes imply better sports performance — should carry labels that specify their amount of caffeine, says a Johns Hopkins University scientist.

Drinks with the highest caffeine content should also warn of potential health dangers, says Roland Griffiths, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and senior author of a new report on the beverages.

“Many of these drinks do not label the caffeine content,” he says, and some energy drinks contain as much caffeine as found in 14 cans of soda.

The industry begs to differ, with spokespeople pointing out that most “mainstream” energy drinks contain the same amount of caffeine, or even less, than you’d get in a cup of brewed coffee. If labels listing caffeine content are required on energy drinks, they should also be required on coffeehouse coffee, says Maureen Storey, PhD, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association.

Energy Drinks: Caffeine Content
Griffiths and his colleagues contacted more than two dozen makers of energy drinks, asking for caffeine content. Here are some of the findings:

(The caffeine content is in milligrams per serving. Although serving sizes vary, Griffiths contends that most people will drink the entire can, whatever the number of ounces.)

Red Bull: 80 milligrams per 8.3-ounce serving
Tab Energy: 95 mg per 10.5-oz serving
Monster and Rockstar: 160 mg per 16-oz serving
No Fear: 174 mg per 16-oz serving
Fixx: 500 per 20-oz serving
Wired X505: 505 mg per 24-oz serving
In comparison, according to Griffiths:

Brewed coffee: 200 milligrams per 12-oz serving
Instant coffee: 140 mg per 12-oz serving
Brewed tea: 80 mg per 12-oz serving
Mountain Dew: 54 mg per 12 oz. serving
Dr. Pepper: 41 mg per 12-oz serving
Pepsi Cola: 38 mg per 12-oz serving
Coca-Cola Classic: 34.5 mg per 12-oz serving
Canned or bottled tea: 20 mg per 12-oz serving
Some of the energy drinks have lower caffeine contents, Griffith says. Among the lower doses:

Bomba Energy has 75 mg per 8.4-oz serving
Whoop Ass has 50 mg per 8.5-oz serving

(more…)

Your eyes work nonstop for you. They help you admire everything from movie trailers to Monet. Now it’s payback time.

Thank your eyes for all they do by following the three peeper-protecting steps below. Your eyes will feel like they’ve had a fancy spa treatment. Bonus: pricey creams and cucumber slices not required.

Stay well watered. Your tear ducts — those tiny tubes that keep your eyes moist and lubricated — need ample H2O to do their job. So help keep them hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Get between the sheets. Adequate pillow time is key for reviving tired eyes. Your retinal membranes — like the rest of your body — need the night hours to recharge.

Quit the staring contests. With your computer, that is. Let the machine win. Too much screen time makes eyes tired and achy. Take at least one 10-minute break every 2 hours.

Breaking the 8-Glass Myth
Learn why you should flout standard water intake wisdom and assess your personal needs for fluids.

How do you know if you’re getting enough fluids? Some people rely on their thirst to gauge whether their bodies are properly hydrated. Others go by the conventional wisdom of “8×8″ and assume they are getting their fair share of liquids by following this guideline.

Using either rule will probably ensure that you are properly hydrated. However, neither system is the last word on water intake. You’ll need to listen to your own body to determine the level of fluid intake that is optimal for you. Learn more about the signs of dehydration from our medical encyclopedia.

When standard measures may fail
Keying in to times that you may need more water or signs that you are mildly dehydrated can help you avoid annoying symptoms of heavy fluid loss, such as feeling more tired. However, there’s little usefulness in getting more fluids than you need. It will result in nothing more than having to run to the bathroom frequently.

For most of us, drinking enough water is not a problem. Thirst is quite sufficient as a signal for us to get more. Sometimes, however, thirst mechanisms can be unreliable or impaired, especially in people over 65 who have medical conditions.

Use these 3 easy steps to check whether you may be
dehydrated.

1. Listen to your body.
These are some obvious physical signs of dehydration. If you’re a little dehydrated, your lips may be dry. Your mouth may feel a bit gummy or sticky.

2. Watch for other signs.
In addition to dry mouth and thirst, you may have difficulty concentrating on tasks. You may feel tired for no apparent reason. Your heart rate may be a bit elevated. Some people even report having headaches when they’ve been deprived of liquids. Don’t ignore any of these symptoms, especially when clustered together.

3. Check your fluid output.
A strong indication that you are dehydrated may be when your urine output is dark in color and has a strong odor. Some medications can influence urine color, so check with your doctor. Also, the color and/or scent of urine also may be affected by multivitamin supplements; by certain foods or beverages, such as beer or asparagus; or by certain nutrients, such as vitamin B2, also called riboflavin.

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