Most of us are guilty of needing a little pick-me-up to start our day or a caffeine charge to temporarily fix lack of sleep or a tiring afternoon. But when does this habit become harmful or an addiction? And what about when it comes to our children?
More studies are showing that caffeine has the potential to actually be harmful for youth, especially when it comes to energy drinks which are increasing in popularity every year. In fact, as many as 50 percent of teens are now consuming energy drinks on a regular basis.
Nutritional labels on energy drinks offer caffeine amounts, but they don’t tell the whole story. Herbs such as guarana, kola nut, cocoa and yerba mate are not required to be listed, yet many contain high, understudied and unregulated amounts of caffeine. Thus, the total amount of caffeine in many energy boosting beverages is significantly higher and can cause serious side effects such as dehydration, vomiting, tremors, insomnia, delirium, seizures and increased heart rhythms.
Kids are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, youth younger than 19 accounted for almost half of the caffeine overdoses reported in 2007. And emergency room doctors are reporting an increase in “caffeine attacks” or patients whose symptoms mirror heart attacks – racing pulse and chest pain – but are actually caffeine overdoses.
As to caffeine’s addictiveness, if you’ve ever tried to quit it, you know there are physical symptoms of withdrawal which can be mild to severe including irritability, headaches, fatigue or drowsiness, muscle stiffness, difficulty concentrating and chills and/or hot spells.
Talk with your children so they are aware and open about the risks associated with caffeine consumption. Make sure they understand that there are many ingredients that aren’t listed and encourage them to limit their intake. Let them know these drinks might temporarily boost performance, but can also cause dehydration and other ailments and, in the long term, they can be addictive and harmful.
Patti Skelton-McGougan is Executive Director of Youth Eastside Services (YES). YES is a nonprofit organization and a leading provider of youth counseling and substance abuse services in the region. While YES accepts Medicaid, insurance and offers a sliding scale, no one is turned away for inability to pay. For more information, visit www.YouthEastsideServices.org.
