Children under 12 years old shouldn't consume any caffeine. Adolescents ages 12 to 18 should consume no more than 100 mg of caffeine per day.
Susie advises that adolescents under 14 should avoid caffeine where possible, and teenagers between 14 and 17 years of age should limit their intake to 100mg or less a day. “That's equivalent to a small milky coffee (60mg), or a couple of cups of tea (30mg each), or some [dark] chocolate (26mg/40g) a day,” she says.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks or other products for children under the age of 12, while adolescents between the ages of age 12 and 18 should limit their intake to less than 100 milligrams per day – about the size of an old-fashioned cup of coffee.
Caffeine can have a negative effect on many parts of a teen's growing body. It can stunt their maturing brain and lead to bone loss. It can worsen other health conditions the teen may already have. It can also cause the teen to lose much-needed sleep, in turn affecting their overall health.
For kids and teens, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests caution. Adolescents ages 12 to 18 should cap daily caffeine intake at 100 mg (the equivalent of about one cup of coffee, one to two cups of tea, or two to three cans of soda). For children under 12, there's no designated safe threshold.
There is no black or white answer as to when a child should start drinking coffee, but Dr Melinda White, A/Director of Dietetics and Food Services at Children's Health Queensland, recommends waiting until the end of adolescence (19 years) to start drinking coffee regularly.
Energy drinks are not recommended for children and teens because of the amount of caffeine, sugars and other ingredients (like herbs and amino acids) they contain. Caffeine is a drug naturally found in the leaves and seeds of many plants.
However, the American Academy of Pediatrics takes the position that “stimulant-containing energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and adolescents.”
For healthy adults, the FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day—that's about four or five cups of coffee—as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects.
Hu said that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression. It's even possible that people who drink coffee can reduce their risk of early death.
Energy drinks are heavily marketed to kids, but energy drinks and kids don't mix. Some parents may not know that energy drinks can actually be harmful for kids' health. Most health professionals agree that energy drinks should be avoided among children and limited for adults.
Say No to Soda
Soft drinks are commonly served to kids, but they have no nutritional value and are high in sugar. Drinking soda and other sugared drinks can cause tooth decay. Colas and other sodas often contain caffeine, which kids don't need. In addition, soft drinks may be taking the place of calcium-rich milk.
For kids involved in intense and prolonged physical activity, sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade may provide a quick source of energy (simple carbohydrates) and may help replace electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that are lost with sweating.
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine consumption for kids.
Why Does Coffee Stain My Teeth? While the enamel on your teeth is the hardest substance in the human body, it does have tiny pores. When you drink coffee, the tannins in the brew seep into those pores, leaving deep stains behind. As coffee is acidic, it can also wear the enamel away over time, leading to more stains.
The youngest legal drinking age in the world is 15, with both Mali and the Central African Republic allowing folks to drink at that time. Seven countries do not have a government-mandated drinking age, while 11 countries ban the consumption of booze entirely.
In comparison, a 250ml can of Coke contains approximately 25mg of caffeine. To see which of our drinks contain caffeine and which are caffeine-free, check out the Nutrition Comparison tool.
What's the better choice, coffee or tea? “Neither is particularly harmful, and both offer an abundance of potential health benefits. Like most things in life, it comes down to portion control and individual preference,” Bollig said. If you aren't sensitive to caffeine, both are considered healthy.
Labelling on the PRIME Hydration drinks suggests that these drinks shouldn't be consumed by children under 15 years. PRIME Energy is intended as an energy drink, similar to Red Bull or Mother. The drink itself is low in kilojoules, with 84kJ and 200mg of caffeine per 355mL can.
Normally, children and adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old, should not drink more than 100mg of caffeine a day, which is equivalent to a cup of coffee.
No, Red Bull does not contain alcohol. Therefore, it does not have any alcohol content. Coffee and Red Bull offer similar amounts of this stimulant per serving, though coffee has a little more. Regular and sugar-free Red Bull contain 75–80 mg of caffeine per 8.4-ounce (248-mL) can ( 1 , 2 ).
Is Sting energy drink safe for children? Due to their high sugar content and stimulants (such as caffeine), the medical community discourages parents from letting their kids consume these drinks at all.
Yes, there are no age restrictions on the sale of any caffeine containing foods and beverages, including energy drinks.
According to its website, Prime states that energy drinks are not suitable for kids under 18, pregnant people, or breastfeeding people.