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Some
kids' drinks pack a caffeine punch
July 6, 2006
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
With
a name like Adrenaline Rush, you might expect this soda to
pack a punch.
It and others like it – energy drinks such as Red Bull,
Venom and Jolt – get their kick from caffeine, as much
as twice the amount found in other caffeinated soft drinks
such as Coke, Pepsi and Mountain Dew and about as much or
more than a half cup of coffee contains.
Other common drinks are more subtly spiked: flavored, sweetened
teas and milkshake-like coffee drinks, for example.
Caffeinated drinks give adults a lift, but what many of us
don’t often think about is that they affect kids, too.
For children aged 2 to 17, the single biggest source of caffeine
is soft drinks, according to a study published in the Journal
of the American Dietetic Association. Chocolate is the second
biggest source. Most children get a daily dose of caffeine.
So how much caffeine is too much for a child, and is any caffeine
in a child’s diet OK?
They’re questions that aren’t easily answered.
In part, that’s because we don’t have a lot of
information about the effects of caffeine on children.
What we do know:
* Short-term effects are similar to that of adults. Caffeine
can cause some children to be bothered by insomnia, headaches,
irritability or anxiousness. We know little, if anything,
about the long-term effects of caffeine on children.
* Responses to caffeine are weight dependent, so the same
amount of caffeine likely will affect a small person to a
greater extent than it will a large person. However, individual
variation in how children respond to caffeine also makes it
difficult to give precise recommendations for intakes.
* Children can become dependent on caffeine and suffer withdrawl
symptoms, just like adults. A child accustomed to the effects
of caffeine from a daily cola drink may experience headache
or fatigue if their supply is interrupted.
The U.S. hasn’t specified recommended limits for caffeine
intake for children, but the Canadian government has. Health
Canada, a federal department that issues health recommendations
for Canadians, set recommended levels of caffeine intake at
45 milligrams for children aged 4 to 6 years, 62.5 milligrams
for children aged 7 to 9, and 85 milligrams for children aged
10 to 12.
One 12-ounce can of Coke has 45 milligrams of caffeine, and
a cup of coffee has about 135 milligrams. So Canada’s
recommended limits are equal to about one to two 12-ounce
servings of a cola drink per day.
Also good to keep in mind:
* Be aware of your child’s caffeine intake. Does he
or she have access to caffeinated drinks at home? What does
your child drink at school?
* Assess your child’s caffeine intake if he or she has
trouble falling asleep at night. Occasional headaches, fatigue
or irritability may be also caused by a sudden interruption
in caffeine intake.
* Get your family into the habit of drinking water rather
than soft drinks and caloric beverages with meals. Kids will
get less caffeine, and fewer calories can help with weight
control.
* Encourage your child to get adequate sleep so that he or
she won’t need to lean on caffeinated drinks at school
to stay awake.
The prudent approach is to minimize children’s caffeine
intakes. With that in mind, limited amounts are likely not
anything to get excited about. Put your parental pressure
into pushing fruits and vegetables instead.
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