Energy drinks have become incredibly popular with the younger generation in this country these days. Teenager see energy drinks as a great way to get a big boost of energy, which is why it’s so disturbing that a new study has just come out revealing the high risks of having even one energy drink.

The family of 14 year-old Anais Fournier know all too well just how dangerous energy drinks are. Back in 2012, Anais went into cardiac arrest allegedly after drinking two large cans of Monster, an energy drink. A lawyer representing her family pointed out that these two cans were the equivalent of fourteen 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola. The next day, Anais went into cardiac arrest and had to be placed into a medically induced coma to stop swelling in her brain.

“We stayed up all night,” said her mother, Wendy Crossland. “I laid in bed next to her all night long… We talked to her and stayed with her.”

Anais tragically passed away six days later. Doctors determined that her cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity.

“She never ever regained consciousness and we never got to say goodbye,” Wendy lamented.

Monster denies that they were responsible for Anais’ death because she had an underlying condition called mitral valve prolapse, which causes one of the heart’s valves to malfunction. However, 1 in 20 Americans have this same condition, and since it usually causes no problems, those who have it often have no idea.

Anais is not the only teenager who has died after consuming energy drinks in recent years. In 2014, a healthy 16-year-old named Lanna Hamann died of a heart attack after drinking energy drinks all day. In 2016, Davis Cripe collapsed and died after drinking just one energy drink as well as a few other caffeinated beverages.

“I was shocked to learn the FDA can regulate caffeine in a can of soda but not these huge energy drinks,” Anais’ mom, Wendy said. “With their bright colors and names like Monster, Rockstar, and Full Throttle, these drinks are targeting teenagers with no oversight or accountability. These drinks are death traps for young, developing girls and boys, like my daughter, Anais… I want Anais’ life to send a loud and clear message to today’s youth that energy drinks can kill. I would like nothing more than to have these drinks regulated by the FDA and ban the sale to minors.”

TV chef Jamie Oliver agrees with her.

“We have a massive problem with kids and energy drinks,” Jamie Oliver said. “Too many children are regularly using them to replace breakfast. Teachers from across the country have told me how their lessons are disrupted in classrooms because of these drinks, packed with stimulants… The sale to kids should be stopped as soon as possible.”

Experts say that energy drinks are more dangerous than other caffeinated beverages because they are like coffee on steroids. Not only do energy drinks include large amounts of caffeine, they also have high quantities of sugar and additional artificial stimulants like taurine or guarana.

“Overall, the concern is that these vitamins, amino acids, and herbals are often in higher concentrations than naturally in food or plants, and the effects when combined, especially with caffeine, may be enhanced,” explained clinical dietician Katherine Zeratsky from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

The University of Texas in Houston just carried out a study that found that consuming just one energy drink can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in 90 minutes. Another study conducted by the University of Waterloo in Ontario found that 55% of 12 to 24-year-olds surveyed reported suffering conditions such as vomiting, chest pains and even seizures after having the drinks.