Stay on High Alert About Kids & Caffeine

Coffee, soda, energy drinks, the list of products packed with caffeine could go on and on. Caffeine has even become a popular additive to spice up and market products such as gum. But how safe is it? Should kids be consuming caffeine?

Dietician David Rath of David Rath Nutrition says that caffeine is a mixed bag with good and bad effects, and people’s experiences with it are highly individualized.

“This should be taken into account when determining daily amounts,” Rath said. “Some may be hardly affected by two or three cups of coffee, whereas others may experience insomnia, anxiety, jitters, etcetera. Also, those with high blood pressure or heart disease may want to check with their doctor.”

As for kids, caffeine should be limited until after puberty to avoid affecting mental and physical growth, Rath said. He added that the American Academy of Pediatrics has expressed worry that caffeine consumption for children under 12 could affect neurological development and has said energy drinks have no place in the diets of children or adolescents.

“After puberty and after they’ve reached their final growth spurt, they can have caffeine in moderation, more or less as an adult would,” Rath said.

Now, moderation is sort of tricky. The effects of caffeine range from person to person. A good rule of thumb is no more than two to three cups of coffee a day, Rath says, but smaller individuals should consume less while larger individuals may be able to tolerate more.

Caffeine may need to be limited, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bad. According to Rath, caffeine acts as a thermogenic agent in the body, which means that it causes the body to burn fat for energy rather than the limited glycogen stores in muscles and the liver.

Numerous health benefits exist for those who drink caffeine regularly, including a reduced risk of late-life cognitive decline and dementia, according to a 2015 article in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. Although the article notes that these results are inconclusive and require larger studies, they are encouraging.

It’s also important to note that not all coffee is created equal. A caffeine content chart at NutritionAction.com shows the variances.

Nutrition labels are invaluable for healthy consumption, but many restaurants require a web search in order to access that information. The chart shows a venti brewed coffee from Starbucks contains 415 milligrams of caffeine, meaning one of those would hit most people’s daily limit. However, three cups of Maxwell House Lite Ground Coffee contains only 150-210 milligrams of caffeine, so adults could feasibly drink a little more than two or three cups.

The key is to be mindful of your intake and to enjoy caffeine like most things: in moderation.