High doses of caffeine similar to what is found in several cans of energy drinks have been described by doctors as having a ‘toxic’ effect on children.
Energy drinks are designed to increase mental alertness and physical performances for consumers by the addition of caffeine and herbal supplements such as guarana, kola nuts, and yerba maté.
Many contain substantially more caffeine per serving than do conventional soft drinks.
Of the leading brands, Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine per serving; Monster Energy, Rockstar, Java Monster, 160 mg each; and NOS, 260 mg.
“At a high does, caffeine can have a toxic effect on children,” said Dr Binoy Nellissery, Specialist Paediatrician at Aster Hospital, Mankhool.
“Like alcohol, at a very low dose there are few problems- but when it is consumed in higher dose, like in these energy drinks, there are problems.
“Caffeine is easily accessible, and there is no social stigma with energy drinks as there is with taking drugs or alcohol, but it can have a similar effect.”
With a heavy dose of caffeine, heart rate and blood pressure increases. In young children, it often causes a stomach upset.
“In school age children, caffeine can make them nervous and jittery, so its use must be monitored and young children should not be taking these drinks,” Dr Nellissery said.
“We have seen very high levels of caffeine intake lead to heart attacks in some children, in rare cases.
“There are some studies, but more research can be done and children under the age of 12 should not be consuming caffeine at all.
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Read more:
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“Warnings on the cans themselves could be better, and there seems to be very little social awareness amongst parents.
“They don’t seem to be worried, so there could be more intervention from the government and at a school level to highlight the problem and bring it into the public awareness.
“Supermarket notices would at least help parents to make an informed choice and that is a start to help discourage children and teenagers.”
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20Profile
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Naga
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 1 Manchester City 2
Huddersfield: Otamendi (45' 1 og), van La Parra (red card 90' 6)
Man City: Agüero (47' pen), Sterling (84')
Man of the match: Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Leeds United 0
Brighton 1 (Maupay 17')
Man of the match: Ben White (Brighton)
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.