March 4, 2024 – How much caffeine is safe for kids? There’s not enough research to determine a specific amount, but many doctors you ask will say the same thing: None. According to the American Dietary Guidelines, “Concerns exist about potential negative health effects of caffeine for young children, and no safe limits of caffeine have been established for this age group.”
There is concern that caffeine intake may be increasing among children and adolescents because of the growing popularity and availability of energy drinks. Social media influencers irresponsibly post about using these drinks while working out, giving young people the idea that energy drinks are simply an intense type of sports drink.
Teen athletes are battling dehydration and muscle cramps like never before. Caffeine is a diuretic, so caffeine-fueled energy drinks dehydrate instead of hydrating, and can cause many other health issues.
Isabel Leyva, a registered dietitian at Kaiser Permanente Riverside says, “I do not recommend caffeine for children of any age because of various caffeine-related disorders”. Caffeine-related disorders include caffeine intoxication, caffeine dependence and withdrawal. “Caffeine intoxication may result in tachycardia, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, and even death” according to a PubMed study.
Parents need to be concerned with the growing popularity of energy drinks. Have you noticed how colorful and attractive energy drinks are? Have you also noticed how hard it is to find how much caffeine is in one energy drink? Have you asked your child what they think about energy drinks?
What’s worse than caffeine for kids? Caffeine plus sugar. Caffeinated drinks that contain sugar, cream, and chocolate can limit a child’s appetite for nutritious foods and beverages, cause dental cavities, increase undesirable weight gain, and have all the side effects associated with caffeine.
Excess sugar can provide empty calories and not enough room for nutrient-dense foods. Added sugars should only make up less than 10% of their caloric intake for a day. “Reducing added sugars can aid in developing optimal/healthy eating patterns,” adds Isabel. The reverse works as well, encouraging optimal/healthy eating patterns can help prevent cravings for added sugars. Therefore, caffeinated products should be avoided.
Isabel warns, “Our children do not have the capacity to make decisions for themselves to prevent adverse effects. It is best to educate them about caffeine, especially when the caffeine market targets adolescents.”
Bottom line: Caffeine has no nutritional value, but plenty of side effects that negatively impact health.
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