energy what?

I am horrified by an ad I just saw.  Remember the mouthwash strips invented years back?  The ones that you put on your tongue to dissolve that left your breath minty fresh?  Well someone has taken them to the next level and created an energy strip or sheet that works the same way.  Remove from the package, place on your tongue, and poof, instant energy.

It's bad enough that there are hyper-caffeinated beverages on the market, it's really awful that there are mini-shots of energy product, and let's not forget all the other atrocious caffeine products such as caffeinated soap and panty hose.  Now we have this?  I'm truly astounded and upset.

How much caffeine do people think they need?  And if they need that much isn't it time to consider perhaps that they are trying to do too much?  If someone is not awake enough during the day perhaps it's time for them to look at how much sleep they're getting.  Maybe their bedroom is not restful enough, is it a dark, cozy, no-tv, no-computer, no-gaming system space?  Poor sleep, or not enough sleep are key reasons that people feel tired and then reach out for caffeine or sugar as a way to boost their flagging energy.  Getting good quality sleep, and enough of it, can often reduce the extreme fatigue that seems to be plaguing us.

So why am I so against this product?  For adults caffeine is generally considered safe up to 300 mg per day.  This product contains 100 mg of caffeine, plus high doses of B vitamins.  Oh yeah, they also come loaded with artificial flavors, sucralose, polysorbate 80, artificial colors, plus some other chemicals thrown in for good measure.

One of my big worries about this product, aside from the nasty ingredient factor, is the potential for abuse.  The delivery system makes it far too easy for small children to get their hands on it, especially if it is tossed into a purse or a car cup holder along with gums, mints and other similar items.  It's also something that will be very easy for teens to overuse.

I can only hope that this product will be pulled from the shelves as quickly as possible.