LiveSmart: Energy Drinks and Teens – The Four Dangers You Cannot Ignore

By Richa Sharma, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at St. Peter’s Hospital, St. Peter’s Pediatrics

There have been a lot of stories in the news lately about adolescents and energy drinks. Recently, Consumer Reports tested 23 popular energy drinks and energy shots, reporting that many of them contain two to three times the amount of caffeine that a teenager should have in a day. 

With their eye-catching packaging, and social media marketing that targets kids and adolescents, these drinks need to be on every parent’s radar. The bottom line – they are not safe or healthy for kids.

There's no proven safe dose of caffeine for children, with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) stating that caffeine and stimulants “have no place in the diet of children and adolescents.” That said, the AAP recommends children under 12 avoid all caffeine and those aged 12 to 18 limit their intake to about 100 mg daily, which is the equivalent of one eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee. 

When you consider that one of the popular energy drinks contains more than three times the recommended 100 mg, you can see how easy it is to overindulge. And, according to a survey conducted by the AAP, adolescents are doing just that, with nearly 50 percent of them reporting that they consume energy drinks regularly.

According to the National Institutes of Health, overconsumption of caffeine can lead to serious health issues including:

• Heart Problems: Too much caffeine can cause a fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, and dangerous heart rhythms.
• Sleep and Mood Issues: These drinks can lead to trouble sleeping, high anxiety, and a huge energy crashes when they wear off.
• Digestive Issues: Too much caffeine consumption increases acid in the stomach, which can lead to nausea, lack of appetite, and pain.
• Sugar Overload: The large amount of sugar can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. 

It’s worth noting that many prescription drugs often prescribed to teens act as stimulants and may intensify the effects of caffeine (e.g. Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, albuterol in asthma inhalers). If your child is prescribed one of these medicines, it’s best that they avoid caffeine altogether. 

So, what should kids and adolescents be drinking? Two to three cups of low-fat milk per day is recommended for all children between the ages of two and 18. In addition, they should be consuming one eight-ounce glass of water daily for each year of age up to age eight; after that, a minimum of eight cups daily.

Sports drinks (without caffeine) do have their place, but only if the child is engaged in vigorous exercise for more than one hour in duration. In this case, about eight ounces, in combination with water, is needed to properly restore electrolytes.

So, as the kids wrap up their summer, remember that energy drinks have no place in their back-to-school lunches or as after-school treats. Best wishes for a safe and happy new school year!

The St. Peter’s Medical Campus – Clifton Park, 1 Tallow Wood Drive, offers easy access to a wide array of providers and services, including pediatrics, primary care, laboratory services, and medical imaging. For more information, visit us at Medical Associates | St. Peter's Health Partners.