Most working adults will tell you
that if they start their day without coffee, it will inevitably be tiresome,
slow, and less productive as a morning with Folgers in their cup. Now, what if
someone told you that a five year old was having that same reaction? Could
someone that young be addicted to caffeine? Recent studies are showing that
children are becoming addicted to caffeine as young as five, not because of
coffee, but because of everything that comes cold and thirst quenching. And, the frequency in which they consume these
beverages adds to the problem. Here are
just a few things children are drinking that have their caffeine adrenalin
soaring through their little young bodies:
- · Arizona Green Tea Energy ® 200 mg equivalent to 4 Cokes
- · Orange Soda ® Filled with acid & one 12 ounce contains 41 mg of caffeine
- · Mountain Dew ® Has 55 mg of caffeine
- · Pepsi ® Contains 38 mg of caffeine/ 54 mg for Pepsi ONE
With the average suggested caffeine
intake at fewer than 200 mg per day, most people surpass this number based on
the size of their cup. If you think that switching your soda with a diet
version will make it better, THINK AGAIN! When companies remove sugar, they add
more substitute sweeteners, therefore, enhancing the amount of caffeine. With
sodas, sports drinks, teas, and energy boosters present in many homes across
America, children have more accessibility to this “drug” than ever before (if
it can cause an addiction, yes, it is a drug).
Are you now
wondering what the caffeine is really doing to these young bodies? Caffeine is
a stimulant. It is used to boost endorphins within the body for a short amount
of time by speeding up the heart rate and releasing energy. The problem with
caffeine is that, when the heart rate is increased and then drops, it weakens
the heart. Just think, a child’s heart is far less developed than that of an adult;
therefore, their heart is being damaged before it reaches its full potential.
Enhanced heart rates can lead to heart attack or stroke. When the body is on
caffeine, it makes it harder to sleep. In children, since their body does not
absorb caffeine as quickly as an adult, it stays in their system longer and
makes it harder for them to go to sleep, disrupting their sleep pattern.
In recent
news, a Maryland family has filed a lawsuit against Monster, an energy drink
company, after their 14 year old daughter drank two cans in a 24hr period and
went into cardiac arrest. This is just one of five cases being investigated throughout
the country in which young people have suffered extreme heart conditions after
drinking these energy boosters.
With
stories such as these in the news, parents are pushing for energy drinks and
soft drink companies to place disclaimers on their products, warning of
caffeine amounts and possible dangers. Should companies place a disclaimer on
these products, or should parents take away the caffeinated drinks and hand
over a bottle of water? What is your child having with their dinner tonight?
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/childrens-health/articles/2010/12/16/kids-are-getting-amped-on-caffeine-even-at-age-5
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