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Caffeinated Kids

How Much Caffeine Should Children and Teens Consume?

Caffeine consumption in children and teens is on the rise.

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Caffeine is cool.

It continues to get a hipper image thanks to energy drinks that promote increased vivacity and sophistication if consumed.

And the days of ordering your coffee “black” are over.

Now you can easily buy mochas, iced lattes and many other enticing cups of “Joe” at your local fast-food restaurants or corner coffee shop. 
Personally, just give me a plain cup of coffee, black, and I am satisfied.

Of course, I am an adult but as a teenager, I would’ve been the first one in line for a vanilla latte with extra whipped cream.

With this new “caffeine is great” idea, what are the negative health issues associated with caffeine consumption for children and teens? How much is too much and how can moderation be stressed in this “up-size it” world? To find out the overall negative health impact of caffeine consumption in children and teens I sought the counsel of a few experts.

The Physiological Impact

“Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and also has affects on the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract,” says Clay Stallworth, MD, pediatrician with Pediatric Primary Care Associates in Augusta, citing the Academy of Pediatrics publication Handbook of Common Poisonings in Children.

Caffeine’s main effects on the brain include hyperactivity, mental agitation and irritability, sleeplessness and tremors, which are more severe with increasing doses. Nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain may happen in the stomach and intestines. Caffeine also increases heart rate and can cause premature ventricular contractions, or ‘skipped beats’ and a fluttering sensation in the chest,” he adds.

“Also our bodies keep a balance of calcium and phosphorus in our blood, and when one is higher than the other, our bodies will find sources to balance this level out,” says Samantha Ellefson, pediatric dietitian at MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center.

Most dark sodas such as colas or diet colas have phosphorus in them so when a lot is consumed the levels in our bloodstream increase. “When this happens, if that person does not have enough calcium in their diet, the body will leach calcium from their bones,” Ellefson says. 
Another concern with caffeine consumption is dependency. As for how long it takes for the body to become dependent on caffeine, that depends on the person’s own body, according to Ellefson. “I do not believe there is a definite or objective number that can be placed as to how long it takes to feel or show signs of addiction,” she says. Once the body is dependent on caffeine Ellefson says you’ll show evidence of withdrawl through headaches or moodiness.

Caffeine and Teens

The main sources of caffeine for adolescents are soda and energy drinks, but it can also be found in coffee and teas that seem to be increasingly marketed to this demographic.

In 2006, teenagers and young adults spent $2.3 billion on heavily caffeinated energy drinks. Dr. Stallworth says parents’ lack of control over what their teenager drinks when not at home may make them unaware of how much caffeine the teen is consuming. “Also, the irritability that may occur in the teenager due to caffeine may be misconstrued as ‘just being a teenager,’” he says. 

Caffeinated beverages are used by many teens to help them stay awake to study but that may not always be the case. Ellefson says that caffeine can help you become more alert but if too much is consumed, irritability and feeling jittery may occur.

Also, it has been shown that adolescents who drink caffeine on a regular basis will typically get fewer hours of sleep at night. “This may lead to increased sleepiness during daytime hours,” says Ellefson. “Being tired during the day may cause decreased attentiveness as well as comprehension while in the classroom.”

Caffeine and Your Kids

Alice Hagler, mother of seven children ages 4 to 17, says, “I definitely don’t let the younger kids have caffeine after lunchtime.” She doesn’t keep tabs on the older children’s caffeine intake, but she says they are good at monitoring themselves. “Our refrigerator is not stocked with sodas,” says Hagler. “We always have milk with lunch and dinner and some form of juice with breakfast. They just don’t have access to sodas and other drinks with caffeine.”

Dudley Guitton of Augusta, mother of three teenagers, says she didn’t allow her children to have any caffeine when they were younger. “As they have gotten older, I don’t mind them having a Coke here or there because I don’t feel it affects them as negatively,” she says. She says she worries about these new “energy drinks” and discourages her children from drinking them.  “However, they do have a natural curiosity about them,” she adds. 

As far as how much caffeine children should consume, the FDA so far has not developed any guidelines when if comes to caffeine consumption in the United States, says Ellefson. However, Canada does recommend that 4 to 6 year olds consume no more than 45 mg/day (approximately a 12 ounce can of soda), 7 to 9 year olds no more than 62 mg/day and 10 to 12 year olds no more than 85 mg/day.  
“I don’t see any reason for a young child to have more than the equivalent of one or two cola drinks a day or an adolescent to have more than a cup of coffee a day,” says Dr. Stallworth. 

In May 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a report that young children and teens should avoid energy drinks entirely and routine consumption of sports drinks should be limited or eliminated, according to US News and World Report’s HealthDay. 
Alternatives to Caffeinated Drinks

With all these warnings, what should children drink? “Water and non-caffeinated juices, teas and sodas,” says Dr. Stallworth.

Ellefson agrees: “I believe it is important for parents to know that caffeine really has no benefits for children and for that reason does not need to be introduced into their diet. If it is consumed during childhood years, a child is more likely to keep it in their diet.”

Kicking any form of substance abuse is tough, but with so many teenagers successfully managing to overcome substance abuse disorders, it is something that is very doable.

Cammie Jones is an Augusta freelance writer and mother of three.