title: Prediction of plasma caffeine concentrations in young adolescents following ingestion of caffeinated energy drinks: a Monte Carlo simulation.
abstract: The fast-growing consumption of caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) is linked to increasing reports of caffeine intoxication in adolescents. There is limited data available regarding plasma caffeine concentrations in this population after CED intake and the potential implications for caffeine-related toxicity. This study was an in silico population pharmacokinetic analysis of caffeine. Population pharmacokinetic model of oral caffeine was derived from a previous study of healthy male volunteers. Maximal plasma caffeine concentration (C max) profiles following ingestion of one or two servings of popular CEDs were predicted using Monte Carlo simulation and available population body weight data of 10-15-year-old Korean adolescents. Caffeine C max values were positively correlated with the amount of caffeine ingested in CEDs and negatively correlated with body weight. The median (range) C max profiles varied from a low of 1.2 (0.5-2.6) mg/L to a concentration that is potentially associated with harmful caffeine-related effects of 25.4 (8.1-55.6) mg/L. A subgroup of female 10-11-year-old subjects exhibited the highest caffeine exposure profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that CED ingestion can increase the risk of serious caffeine intoxication in young adolescents, particularly those with low body mass.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  • Excessive consumption of caffeine can lead to serious caffeine intoxication. • The risk of potential harmful caffeine intoxication after ingestion of caffeinated energy drinks (CED) has not been adequately evaluated in adolescents.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  • Predicted maximal plasma caffeine concentration profiles of adolescents with lower body weights showed an overlap with the ingested caffeine concentrations obtained from documented fatalities. • The present simulation-based pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrates that CED ingestion could lead to potentially serious caffeine intoxication in this cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, College of Education, Korea University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea. jungwooku@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jung Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, College of Education, Korea University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea. yookyung_kim@korea.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yookyung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA. vidyaper@buffalo.edu.|Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. vidyaper@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Vidya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Andrew.mclachlan@sydney.edu.au.|Center for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia. Andrew.mclachlan@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McLachlan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ksbae@amc.seoul.kr.
authors.forename: Kyun-Seop
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D002648:Child; D061215:Energy Drinks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine
keywords: Adolescent; Caffeine; Energy drink; Monte Carlo method