How Much Caffeine Is Too Much For A Teenager?

How Much Caffeine Is Too Much For A Teenager?

Health professionals recommend that teenagers ages 12 to 18 should have no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine a day or a maximum of 2.5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight. Too much caffeine can cause issues such as irritability, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety.

How Much Is 100mg Of Caffeine?

100mg of caffeine is the equivalent to the amount found in a 240-ml (8-ounce) coffee cup or two 12 oz cans of cola soft drinks. Experts advise that teens consume no more than 100mg of caffeine per day but since caffeine is a stimulant, even small amounts can lead to addiction and cause problems like insomnia.

Is Coffee Bad For Teens?

Caffeine is safe for teens if they don’t consume too much. Experts recommend teens get no more than 100 mg of caffeine a day (about 1 cup of coffee or 2 caffeinated sodas). But even small amounts of daily caffeine intake can lead to dependency, insomnia, nervousness, stomach upset, and heart conditions.

What Happens If A Teenager Has Too Much Caffeine?

Teenagers who regularly consume more than the recommended maximum daily amount of 100 mg of caffeine can experience symptoms such as anxiety, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, nausea, irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, elevated blood pressure, diuresis (excessive urination), upset stomach, dental problems, and gastric ulcers.

How Much Caffeine Is Dangerous?

Toxic effects can be observed with rapid consumption of around 1,200 milligrams of caffeine or 0.15 tablespoons of pure caffeine. The lethal dose of caffeine is about 10 grams, although this varies from person to person. Adults shouldn’t consume more than 400mg of caffeine per day. Teenagers should consume a maximum of 100mg of caffeine per day.

Powdered caffeine is especially dangerous because it is much easier to consume in higher doses. A single teaspoon of powdered caffeine is lethal if consumed at once.

Read more about a 16-year-old school student who died from a caffeine-induced cardiac event after consuming a coffee, a soda, and an energy drink within a period of 2 hours.

You might also be interested in reading How Old Do You Have To Be To Drink Monster? and Does Red Bull Have Alcohol? 

Does Caffeine Affect Puberty?

During puberty, teens experience different heart rates and blood pressure changes after consuming caffeine. Caffeine can stunt brain development by stunting the growth of neural connections (synapses). Caffeine can also cause shorter sleep times, difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality, and sleepiness during the day. Teen girls can also experience differences in caffeine effects during their menstrual cycles.

Can Caffeine Stunt Your Growth?

No, coffee doesn’t stunt your growth or make you shorter. Your height is mostly dependent on your genes. However, caffeine may cause your body to lose calcium which can lead to bone loss over time. Drinking cans of soda or energy drinks can also raise a teen’s risk of osteoporosis down the line.

Why Are Teens Addicted To Caffeine?

The main reason that teens consume caffeine is to feel more alert and get an energy boost which can help them study. Caffeine can also improve and brighten a teen’s mood which can lead to addictive behavior. The more caffeine teens consume, the more likely they’ll become addicted to it.

It is probably best to avoid high caffeine energy drinks like Monster Energy completely. Find out “How Old Do You Have To Be To Drink Monster?”

At What Age Is Caffeine Safe?

Adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day (4 cups of coffee), while teens aged 12-18 should limit their intake to 100 mg per day (1 cup of coffee). Kids under the age of 12 years should ideally not eat or drink any caffeine-containing foods or drinks. Limits for kids under 12 are: 85mg for ages 10-12; 62.5mg for ages 7-9; 45mg for ages 7-9.

What Is Caffeine?

Caffeine is a stimulant that naturally occurs in tea leaves, coffee beans, cocoa beans, and other sources and can also be man-made. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system making teens feel more focused and alert for up to 6 hours. Long-term consumption of caffeinated products can lead to caffeine addiction.

Is Caffeine A Drug?

Caffeine is a psychoactive substance and stimulant drug that stimulates your heart, muscles, and central nervous system and makes you more alert. Most people consume caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, and energy drinks to boost performance when they need to engage in physically and mentally exerting activities.

Effects Of Caffeine On Teenage Brain

Caffeine may affect teenagers’ concentration and sleep, which may slow the maturing process of their brains. High caffeine intake in adolescents slows the maturation of neural connections (synapses) reducing cognitive functions. In a study, teens who consumed caffeine daily performed poorly in vocabulary comprehension and reading decoding tests.

Can a 14 year old drink coffee?

Ideally, adolescents under 14 should avoid caffeinated beverages where possible. Teenagers aged 12 to 18 should limit caffeine intake to 100 mg per day. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, and many energy drinks and causes abnormal heart rhythm, insomnia, nervousness, and stomach upset. Teens should switch to healthier alternatives like milk, fresh juice, and decaffeinated drinks.

Is 500mg of coffee too much?

Healthy adults should consume no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. High coffee intake is associated with problems like nervousness, rapid heart rate, pregnancy loss, and insomnia. Therefore, you should strive to consume small amounts of caffeine or move to decaffeinated beverages.

Caffeine Pros And Cons

The effects of caffeine consumption are numerous. Below we look at some of the benefits of caffeine consumption as well as the dangers of caffeine.

Pros Of Caffeine

• Boosts alertness and focus – People use caffeine to complete their work tasks more quickly and efficiently. For example, an employee who wants to write a work report at the end of the week can drink a cup of coffee to help them focus and complete the task.
• Improves energy levels – At times, you may not have the energy to work out, play a sport or engage in a physically exerting activity. Caffeine provides the much-needed energy boost to help you engage in physically intense activities. This is why sportspeople and fitness enthusiasts usually consume caffeinated energy drinks just before a game or workout session.
• Relieves headaches – If you drink caffeine in small amounts, it can relieve headaches. Blood vessels typically enlarge when you get a headache. Caffeine consumption restricts blood flow by causing blood vessels to contract, thereby reducing the headache.
• Improves brain function – A new study suggests that drinking coffee regularly could help improve concentration, motor control, and alertness. Additionally, researchers found that coffee drinkers had enhanced brain activity in parts of the brain associated with improved focus.

Cons Of Caffeine

• Causes depression – People who suffer from mood disorders, including those prone to panic attacks, are more likely to develop depression when they consume caffeine.
• Heart problems – Too much caffeine can cause rapid and irregular heartbeat and may trigger cardiovascular disorders.
• Unsuitable for pregnant women – Expectant mothers who consume more than 300 mg of caffeine per day risk issues such as delayed fetal growth and loss of pregnancy.
• Insomnia – People who consume caffeinated products a few hours before bedtime have trouble sleeping, leading to daytime sleepiness.