News: Health Canada limits caffeine in energy drinks to 180 mg

Health Canada has set a limit on the amount of caffeine in energy drinks’a change they announced they would be making back in 2011. The drinks are now being reclassified as "food," allowing Health Canada to limit caffeine content, vitamins, minerals and amino acids, reports thestar.com. (Energy drinks were previously classified as "natural health products," and were not required to list nutritional information.)

In the December issue of Best Health, we wrote about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s reported investigation into five deaths and one heart attack for their possible connection to the consumption of Monster Energy drink. According to a November article in The Star, energy drinks were suspected to have caused the deaths of three Canadian teens as well.

Now, the caffeine content in energy drinks is limited to no more than 180 mg per can or single-serving bottle. Under the new limit, a reported 28 of 96 reclassified drinks will have to reformulate. According to Monster Beverage Corp., a 24-ounce can of Monster Energy contains about 240 mg of caffeine’60 mg more than the new limit.

While companies must now only make the reformulated versions, stores don’t have to pull drinks already in stock, and labels on products that already meet the requirements don’t have to be updated until the end of 2013.

Do you agree with the new limit on caffeine set by Health Canada?

Related:
‘ Are energy drinks dangerous to your health?
‘ How much caffeine are you consuming?
‘ Are Canadians addicted to caffeine?