Schiz-energy

 

What do Britney Spears, schizophrenia and so-called "energy drinks" have in common?

Bizarre behavior comes to the mind of Dr. James Cocores of Boca Raton.

 

Cocores said he's found energy drink consumption to cause heightened symptoms among his patients -- including creating the appearance of schizophrenia.

 

And in most cases, he said, these symptoms resemble the behavior of the pop star that recently shaved her head.

 

"If you did not see Red Bull on the set of some of Spears latest antics then you will need to check out other sources to know that she is a big fan of the stuff," said Cocores, who referred to Wikipedia. "So, this pertains to Spears if she in fact consumed large amounts of Red Bull because it could explain, at least in part, her recent bizarre behaviors as depicted in the media."

 

Cocores, author of BRIGHTFOODS: Discover the Surprising Link between Food and Learning, Memory, Mood, and Performance (brightfoodsbooks.com), said he's seen "too many to describe" cases of energy drinks having a negative effect on patients.

 

Energized Britney?

 

"A retired couple just left my office after asking me, "Is Britney Spears going through what our son, Eddy, went through with that Red Bull?" Their 22-year-old showed signs of disorganized and delusional thinking, insomnia for days, poor impulse control and judgment, angry and violent outbursts, and irresponsible behavior. As a result, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in November 2006, hospitalized, and treated with antipsychotic and antidepressant medicines."

 

Mom cut off her son's supply of Red Bull shortly after he was discharged with his medicine. He now remains free of "schizophrenia," said Cocores, Medical Director of Southcoast Psychotherapy and Education Associates in Boca Raton and Director of Research at Psyche Nutrition Sciences.

 

He added, "I have witnessed numerous other similar situations, and this should serve as a wake-up call for parents. Energy drinks do, in fact, contain several stimulants and one sedative that can alter brain chemistry in a very dramatic way. When used in excess and in the absence of wholesome nutrition, these drinks can cause the kind of brain soup that changes personality and mimics numerous psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder."

 

Another Energy Case

 

Cocores said his most recent experience with energy drinks related to a young adult who chugs energy drinks 8 times a day and using fitness and low carb products containing whey and soy, which he discouraged because "of high content of the stimulant and brain cell toxin "glutamate," which is generated during the extensive processing of these proteins, aspartame which breaks down into three brain cell toxins, and energy drinks which contain a plethora of potentially brain cell and psyche altering substances."

 

"As he had done in the past, he cut back on the medicine that controlled his rage, paranoia, impatience, intolerance, anxiety, and irritability, and continued chugging the Red Bull, and consuming toxic "fitness" chow and supplements. He was so paranoid that he was unable to come in with his parents," Cocores said. "The young man was never treated, both inpatient and outpatient, for a psychiatric condition before and had never caused such a disturbance in his home late at night sufficient to have neighbors call the police. He was held against his will in a psychiatric hospital because of bizarre behavior."

 

Symptoms

 

Those Cocores has treated with an underlying psychiatric disorder

 

(anxiety, depressive, bipolar), energy drinks have "almost always brought back uncomfortable symptoms regardless of whether they take medicines and go to therapy or not."

 

What causes this reaction?

 

"The aspartame in low carb energy drinks also can aggravate the brain. Aspartame has been linked to dizziness, intestinal disturbances, anxiety attacks, migraines, and seizures when used in excess," he said. "Over the past 30 days I had two young ladies who were mainly drinking aspartame containing "diet" beverages and were hospitalized because they had experienced their first seizure. No cause was found after extensive neurological testing, EEGs and brain scans."

 

Excess

 

Cocores said many of his patients gulp down too many energy drinks.

 

"If taken in moderation along with a balanced wholesome meal and diet, it can result in a subjective enhancement of learning, memory, mood, and both physical and mind performance," he said. "But I don't know of any one that drinks them in this fashion. More is not better. More often they are taken in excess with little if any food or with convenience foods that also contain brain toxins such as glutamate."

 

Warning signs

 

Parents should beware of warning signs including, "overwhelming anxiety, worry, tension, irritability, depression, paranoia, confusion, racing thoughts, anger, rage, oppositional and violent behavior, ADHD symptoms, headaches, heart palpitations, intestinal problems and more."

 

"They should not wean their children off but decide whether they are going to allow one can for homework with a large healthy antioxidant snack, or just stop it abruptly. My recommendation for children is to ‘Just say no,'" he said.

 

 

-BritneyExperts.com

Hmmmmm... hmmmmm... hmmmmmm

 

Not sure, I don't think it makes sense, I mean, I drink a lot of red bull / speed / V, but I'm not bipolar.

True, but I think she drinks alot more then we do. As I drink alot of energy drinks as well.

 

Well, I used to but now I just drink alot of water.

Well, we don't know about her condition, so... I think we should wait until she's healthy and able to talk in an interview about all she's been through, then the real truth will see the light.

Well I think it is ok to explore possibilities of her condition as long as they aren't degrading...

Hmm..I didn't know energy drinks could cause that..I rarely consume them. You never know, it could be a possibility. :huh:

:rofl: :rofl:

 

That is probably the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long while. :)

It is backed up by medical testing so I wouldn't say it was too ridiculous.

Well, maybe not that ridiculous, but really not that much to cause a "condition"? :blink:

Well there have been reports that have said energy drinks can mess up your balance of electrolytes and brain cells...which could lead to anything really.

Well there have been reports that have said energy drinks can mess up your balance of electrolytes and brain cells...which could lead to anything really.

 

It is proven that if you mix energy drinks with alcohol and drugs excessively, then you'll have that condition you're mentioning.

Well there have been reports that have said energy drinks can mess up your balance of electrolytes and brain cells...which could lead to anything really.

 

Wow. That's kinda, interesting to know, though. :mellow:

It is proven that if you mix energy drinks with alcohol and drugs excessively, then you'll have that condition you're mentioning.

 

 

No, drinking an EXCESSIVE amount can do it as well.

Thats so interesting! But yeah, she need to........put.......the..........red.........bull...........down!! LOL!!!!!

Energy drinks are likely a factor, but a cause in itself..? Extremely doubtful... It's a bit like all this nonsense surrounding Cannabis and Schizophrenia.. The research has been abused by the anti-legalisation brigade who are very dishonestly implying that Cannabis is a single factor in the development of such conditions... Neither Cannabis, nor Red Bull are single factors in problems such as these, true both can exacerbate an already existing problem, but as a causal factor in itself....? To imply this is very incongruous and is taking the honest empirical research and twisting it to suit a theory...

 

In short, Britney's problems are NOT being caused by Red Bull, although the massive consumption of these drinks is certainly not helping things...

Energy drinks are likely a factor, but a cause in itself..? Extremely doubtful... It's a bit like all this nonsense surrounding Cannabis and Schizophrenia.. The research has been abused by the anti-legalisation brigade who are very dishonestly implying that Cannabis is a single factor in the development of such conditions... Neither Cannabis, nor Red Bull are single factors in problems such as these, true both can exacerbate an already existing problem, but as a causal factor in itself....? To imply this is very incongruous and is taking the honest empirical research and twisting it to suit a theory...

 

In short, Britney's problems are NOT being caused by Red Bull, although the massive consumption of these drinks is certainly not helping things...

 

Exactly what I believe, the energy drink itself cannot cause that kind of damage, it's terrible when combined excessively with alcohol or drugs, though.

I agree with that as well.

 

But if you drink like 20 energy drinks in a day it can really mess up your body.

Exactly what I believe, the energy drink itself cannot cause that kind of damage, it's terrible when combined excessively with alcohol or drugs, though.

 

It certainly is, but people dont seem to see the potential problems... Energy drinks are NOT your normal sort of alcohol mixer like Coke or Tonic water or lemonade, etc... Because the likes of Red Bull are legal, then people seem to think it's perfectly okay to take them to excess.... Lots of clubbers mix energy drinks with speed and other amphetamines, that is CRAZY sh!t..... :wacko:

 

It certainly is, but people dont seem to see the potential problems... Energy drinks are NOT your normal sort of alcohol mixer like Coke or Tonic water or lemonade, etc... Because the likes of Red Bull are legal, then people seem to think it's perfectly okay to take them to excess.... Lots of clubbers mix energy drinks with speed and other amphetamines, that is CRAZY sh!t..... :wacko:

 

But (there's always one)... if you read the in the can, it says they don't recommend mixing it with alcohol cause it's damaging... people don't seem to care, though :blink:

Well that's just like asking why people do methamphetamine and cocaine when it does nothing but destroy your body!