Energy drinks have caused three Canadian teenagers to die and have had serious side effects on 35 other Canadians since 2003, Health Canada documents show.
The three male teens, two 15-year-olds and an 18-year-old, died after drinking Red Bull, The Toronto Star reported. Red Bull also appears in more side-effect reports than any other similar product.
Health Canada and the energy drink companies said side-effect reports show only a suspected connection between a product and side effect but no medical proof that one caused the other.
5-Hour Energy, Monster, Rockstar cited in FDA report for deaths, hospitalizations
Rockstar Inc.’s energy drinks, distributed in most of the U.S. by PepsiCo Inc., were named in 13 adverse event reports dating to 2006, according to the Food and Drug Administration. No deaths were cited.
The events in some cases involved increased heart rate, abdominal pain and nausea, and included four hospitalizations, according to a list posted Thursday on the FDA’s website. The incidents are voluntarily reported and are deemed allegations with no conclusion drawn until investigations are completed.
Living Essentials LLC’s 5-Hour Energy was cited in 92 reports, including 33 hospitalizations and 13 deaths, according to the data covering Jan. 1, 2004, to Oct. 23, 2012. Monster Beverage Corp. products were in 40 reports, with 20 hospital stays and five deaths. The FDA hasn’t yet made public reports for other drinks such as Red Bull and PepsiCo’s AMP Energy.