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April Fools' Day: This year there will be strict directions for caffeine intake before the gaming competitions. We are basing this on new studies that show unfavorable effects of caffeine in gaming competitions. We are also concerned about our participants wellbeing.
This article was posted on April Fools' Day, and must be taken as such.
South Korea is famous for it's big gaming community. The last years several scientist have studies this environment with a focus on drug abuse. A newly released pilot study shows us that a high caffeine intake are the most common problem. Further studies based on this pilot study are ongoing. However, it is already clear that we will see stricter regulations on caffeine intake in gaming competitions in a few years.
In the wake of two 2014 deaths caused by ingesting high doses of caffeine, the U.S Health Department have issued warnings against caffeine products, stating they are potentially dangerous and can have serious adverse effects, including death. Energy drinks, such as Monster Energy and Red Bull, typically contain stimulants including caffeine, guarana, taurine, ginseng, l-carnitine, creatinine and glucuronolactone. Their stated purpose is to enhance athletic performance, endurance and concentration. The dose of caffeine they deliver are both potentially dangerous and unnecessary for children and teens. There are concerns about the effect of caffeine on the developing nervous system of children as well as concerns about the development of addiction to the stimulant.
Most commonly known are caffeinism and the following withdrawal issues. These symptoms can appear anytime between 12 to 24 hours after the caffeine consumption, and last for up to one week. For some persons these symptoms can be significant.
Based on these discoveries we will begin to urine test all participants before they can enter competitions at the event. These tests will be able to find residues of caffeine for 12 hours after intake. We will of course recommend you lay off the caffeine for the whole event, but this year we will only have the capacity to test the persons entering the competitions. Proof of negative tests from our medical team must be presented before you're allowed to enter a competition. For the competitions that lasts over several days, you will need to deliver new documentation every 12 hours.
