MONSTER ENERGY DRINK LINKED TO FIVE DEATHS

WHEN CAFFEINE KILLS: MONSTER
ENERGY DRINKS UNDER SCRUTINY

http://vitals.nbcnews.com - The Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports that five people died and one survived a heart attack after consuming energy drinks. It is not yet clear whether the drinks actually caused - or even contributed to - those adverse events, said FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess. “So far there’s been no causal link,” Burgess said. “There could have been other products involved. We don’t know that yet and that’s why we’re taking this seriously and looking into it.” 
The six reports were entered into the FDA’s system voluntary reporting system over an eight year period, with the first surfacing in 2004. This system doesn’t necessarily show that a food or drug caused a problem, the two events could be coincidental. Last week, the parents of Anais Fournier of Hagerstown, Md., sued the company that makes Monster Energy Drinks, saying caffeine in the drinks killed the 14-year-old girl.

The autopsy report attributed her death to “cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity.” She had consumed two 24-oz. Monster Energy drinks in a 24-hour period, the last drink just hours prior to her death. “The two drinks combined are believed to have contained approximately 480 milligrams of known caffeine, the equivalent of almost 14 cans of Coca-Cola,” her lawyer said in a statement. Monster energy drinks contain a long list of ingredients, including sugar, ginseng, amino acids such as taurine and L-carnitine, salt, guarana seed and B vitamins. 
The Center for Science in the Public Interest says the drinks contain about 10 mg of caffeine per ounce of drink, which would mean 240 mg of caffeine in a 24-ounce energy drink - not much more than two stong cups of coffee. How much caffeine is too much? Some people who take in 500 to 600 mg a day of caffeine may suffer insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, a fast heartbeat and stomach upset.

Reports of five deaths and a heart attack linked to Monster Energy drinks should bolster efforts to get the Food & Drug Administration (USA) to regulate caffeinated energy drinks. The combination of caffeine and natural ingredients that also act as stimulants in the drinks, can be risky for people with undiagnosed heart conditions. Emergency room visits involving energy drinks increased tenfold between 2005 and 2009, especially when the energy drinks are mixed with alcohol or drugs. On its website, Red Bull says “there is no scientifically substantiated reason why Red Bull Energy Drink should not, like any other drink, be mixed with alcohol.” However, health experts explains that energy drinks “mask the effects of alcohol”: People drink more because they are highly stimulated.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Intoxication is one of the more obvious sinful activities because so many people develop addictions to it. Whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, or caffeine, addiction to intoxication is very common. Considering the fact that our senses are impossible to satisfy, it is no surprise that many take to intoxication in an attempt to break free of the senses. Instead of trying to escape the senses, the Vedas tell us to purify them through practicing devotional service to God, or Bhakti yoga. ... Success in spiritual life requires training and austerities from us just like in any other discipline. In order to attend college, we had to suffer through twelve years of grade school. Practicing Medicine is not allowed until one undergoes the long training and passes many exams. Olympic athletes train rigorously for four years in order to perform at their peak.  Similarly, we have to train ourselves now so that we may think of God at the time of our death.

Krishna’s Mercy - Jai Shri Krishna :
“The Four Regulative Principles”
Written by Keshava - Posted on Feb 15, 2009
http://www.krishnasmercy.org/dotnetnuke/
http://krishnasmercy.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/the-four-regulative-principles/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/