These popular teen beverages are coming under some scrutiny lately.  Here are 2 reasons to coach your children against them.  

1) For the dentists in the midst.  From the Journal of General Dentistry May 2012 we have data showing that energy and sports drinks are eroding the enamel of your teeth.  Enamel is the hardest substance in your body and is necessary to protect the tooth from decay.  The acidity and lack of flouride are posited to be the cause of the enamel decay.  With soda already a culprit in enamel decay we need to be proactive in reducing these exposures in our children.  

2) The FDA has recently taken up the concern regarding 5 deaths and energy drink consumption.  Many of the beverages have more than 2 cups of "coffee worth" of caffeine.  These products often do not disclose the caffeine content.  

Excessive caffeine intake is known as caffeine intoxication.  The symptoms are related to central nervous system over stimulation and include restlessness, anxiety, pressured speech, stomach upset and most importantly cardiac arrhythmia.  These arrhythmia are unpredictable in most people and can lead to death in rare occurrences.  

Whether or not the energy drinks will be proven to cause death in rare instances remains to be seen.  You have to ask yourself, what is the benefit:risk? and choose wisely.