“These days, our streets are flooded with the increasing wave of unregulated street-selling of caffeinated energy drinks. Young boys and girls are usually seen between moving vehicles and the sidewalks with varieties of brands of energy drinks for sale,” Dr. David Sumo, a pharmacist, observes.
The former Liberia Medicines and Health Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) Managing Director, Dr. Sumo, warned that the proliferation of street-selling of energy drinks needs to be regulated. According to him, it is a deadly, potential weapon that, if left to thrive in the population unregulated as it currently is, there will be a continued loss of precious lives of very important members of society.
On his official Facebook page, Dr. Sumo revealed that some, if not most, of these energy drinks are usually near expiration or have already expired before finding their way to the open market at very low cost.
Dr. Sumo, who has been critical when it comes to fighting fake, expired, or counterfeit drugs or drinks and other harmful substances on the Liberian market, disclosed that the daily consumption of caffeine-concentrated canned drinks (energy drink) is on the rise.
“People of various ages, young and old (some with pre-existing conditions, including hypertension and diabetes) are seen consuming anywhere between two to three servings of these dangerous drinks daily as a means of replacing lost energy,” Pharmacist Sumo averred.
Dr. David Sumo, a pharmacist and former Managing Director of the LMHRA, was removed from the George M. Weah-led government because of his stance against fake, counterfeit, and expired drugs and other health products on the Liberian market through a campaign organized by Montserrado County Senator Saah Hardy Joseph and other top pharmacy owners in the country.
Dr. Sumo noted that research has found that the health risks associated with energy drink consumption are primarily related to their caffeine content.
Speaking on some of the potential risks associated with energy drink consumption, Pharmacist Sumo said caffeine overdose leads to a number of symptoms, including palpitations, high blood pressure, nausea and vomiting, convulsions, and, in some cases, even death.
The former LMHRA Boss pointed out that perhaps this is one of the contributing factors to the increase in cases of stroke among young people in Liberia now.
He stressed that one of the risks associated with huge consumption of energy drinks could be a type two diabetes; as high consumption of caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity; adding that this is another growing health problem in Liberia as of now.
The former LMHRA Managing Director said the danger associated with the huge consumption of expired energy drinks could lead to late miscarriages, low birth weight, and stillbirths in pregnant women, adding that this could also be caused by a call for cushion among young underprivileged women of childbearing ages.
Research has shown that energy drinks also contain a variety of other ingredients, such as guarana, and the effect of long-term regular consumption of the combination of the substances in energy drinks is unknown but could be harmful.
Meanwhile, one of Liberia’s best pharmacists, Dr. Sumo, has called on the authorities responsible for curtailing this situation, like the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Health, and others, to help create prevention awareness to abolish or stop young people or others to avoid the use of mixing energy drinks with alcohol.
He said the increased practice of mixing energy drinks with alcohol, as often seen in drinking spots around Monrovia, also carries risks, and young people specifically are urged to stop.
Sumo disclosed that research shows that the consumption of high amounts of caffeine (as found in energy drinks) reduces drowsiness without diminishing the effects of alcohol, resulting in “wide-awake drunkenness.”
“Therefore, there is the risk that people will engage in risky and dangerous behavior, such as violence or sexual assault, as the mix of alcohol and caffeine can lead to a loss of inhibition,” he said.
Pharmacist David Sumo earned a PhD in pharmacy and medicine, and he is the former Managing Director of the Liberia Medicines and Health Regulatory Authority (LMHRA) and also a medical practitioner for over many years.
According to Dr. Sumo, there is a need for policy development and enforcement to regulate and control the sale and advertisement of energy drinks in Liberia.
Speaking from a medical point of view on his official Facebook page, Sumo suggested the following policies that could be of great help to the government and its people, noting an evidence-based, upper limit for the amount of caffeine allowed in a single serving of any drink.
He said there should be restrictions on sales of energy drinks to children and adolescents and the education of healthcare providers to recognize caffeine intoxication, withdrawal, and dependence.
Regulation of the marketing of energy drinks; for example, a ban on adverts that are obviously designed to target young people or suggest an association between energy drinks and sporting prowess.