FDA looks at caffeine impact on kids after Wrigley gum

Wrigley's new Alert Energy Caffeine Gum has prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to look into the potential impact that added caffeine may have on children and adolescents.

The FDA said on Monday it was taking a "fresh look" at the issue in response to the launch of a caffeinated gum, "and if necessary, will take appropriate action."

While the FDA did not name the gum in its statement, Wrigley launched the product this month. One piece of the gum contains 40 milligrams of caffeine, about as much as a half-cup of coffee, according to Wrigley, which is owned by privately held Mars Inc.

The company said it markets the gum as an energy product for adults aged 25 and older, and that it exceeds current regulatory requirements on labeling and disclosure. The gum has a more bitter taste that does not appeal to children, a higher price, and packaging that clearly separates it from other gums, she said.

"As the FDA refines its approach to caffeine, we welcome the opportunity to work with them on this important topic," a Wrigley spokeswoman said in an email.

The FDA seeks to protect consumers from unsafe foods. In addition to research and inspections, the agency has the power to recall and seize unsafe products and stop companies from producing them.

"The only time that FDA explicitly approved the added use of caffeine in a food was for cola and that was in the 1950s," Michael Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said in a statement on its website on Monday.

Effects of Caffeine on the Nervous System Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. In moderate doses, caffeine can:

increase alertness
reduce fine motor coordination
cause insomnia
cause headaches, nervousness and dizziness

In massive doses, caffeine is lethal. A fatal dose of caffeine has been calculated to be more than 10 grams (about 170 mg/kg body weight) - this is the same as drinking 80 to 100 cups of coffee in rapid succession - not an easy thing to do.

Caffeine enters the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine and can have its effects as soon as 15 minutes after it is consumed. Once in the body, caffeine will stay around for hours: it takes about 6 hours for one half of the caffeine to be eliminated.

Caffeine belongs to the xanthine chemical group. Adenosine is a naturally occurring xanthine in the brain that is used as a neurotransmitter at some synapses. One effect of caffeine is to interfere with adenosine at multiple sites in the brain including the reticular formation. Caffeine also acts at other sites in the body to increase heart rate, constrict blood vessels, relax air passages to improve breathing and allow some muscles to contract more easily.