NCAA, other sports leagues monitoring high-caffeine 'energy' drinks

Gulping down high-caffeine "energy" drinks during a national championship could cost a young athlete.

The NCAA classifies caffeine as a banned substance but allows for "average dietary intake" from foods and beverages such as coffee and colas.

"If someone is consuming a lot of these drinks at a championship event and is tested, they could test positive," said Mary Wilfert, NCAA associate director of health and safety.

A caffeine level of more than 15 micrograms per milliliter in a urine sample will result in a positive test. But because people metabolize caffeine differently, the NCAA can't say how many drinks over what time period might result in a failed drug test, Wilfert said.

The NCAA discourages use of caffeine in a supplement form, and Wilfert said there also was "a concern about whether these drinks are an appropriate hydration beverage."

"The overarching concern is we just don't know what's in a lot of these drinks," she said.

Some leagues and sports organizations are taking action to limit the use of caffeinated energy drinks. Others leave the decision to athletes.

Until 2004, the International Olympic Committee classified caffeine as a banned substance because of potential performance-enhancing qualities, but it was removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list because of concern about the risk of sanctioning athletes for social or dietary consumption. Caffeine remains part of WADA's monitoring program, which seeks to detect patterns of misuse.

Last year, the Virginia High School League became the first state high school federation to impose a ban on such drinks at high school competitions and practices.

"There was nothing specific other than kids becoming ill with nervous energy they couldn't come down from," said Tom Dolan, assistant director of the Virginia High School League, adding the organization acted on concerns from its sports medicine advisers.

"At first there were some questions, but we've had a lot of parents coming up to us at state events or who have e-mailed and called and said, 'Thank you. This is really helping us deal with this issue.' "

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Among the major North American professional sports leagues, only the NFL prohibits teams from distributing energy drinks, although players can provide their own. In Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL, the decision about whether to provide the drinks is left to individual teams.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros are among teams that no longer keep the drinks on hand. In the Astros' case, the decision was made in part because of player dehydration issues, including a 2009 case when reliever Wesley Wright was treated at a hospital after drinking several energy drinks and soft drinks before pitching.

But on many teams, it is part of the daily routine, particularly for relief pitchers who sometimes wait hours for their moment to perform.

"We have a tradition," said reliever Jordan Walden of the Los Angeles Angels. "We all drink it together around the same time, the third inning, normally.

"If you didn't get a good night's sleep or you're a little tired, you get on the field and that could pick you up a little bit."

A ban wouldn't sit well with him or his teammates, Walden said.

"That'd be tough to see in this locker room."

Source: http://thetowntalk.com/article/20111203/NEWS/111203005/-1/rss01

lord monckton lord monckton andy kaufman october 21 2011 ohio ohio john beck