BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – America’s Poison Control Centers said from 2020 to 2023, there was a 20 percent increase in reported caffeine poisoning cases among children from drinking energy drinks.
It said the most common cause was that children didn’t realize how much caffeine was in their energy drinks, leading to hospitalization in some cases. Registered Dietitian Rachel Iverson at Foundation Fitness and Nutrition said where it might take 10 cups of coffee for a child to experience caffeine poisoning symptoms, energy drinks are so concentrated that you need fewer to get the same result.
“Especially when kids haven’t been having food with caffeine, or they’re chugging multiple energy drinks before a practice, or just while they’re goofing off with their friends, that can cause – we know a lot of the symptoms of caffeine, a lot of us have probably had too much caffeine at one point – you know, your heart rate speeds up, you start to feel sweaty and maybe a little bit clammy, sometimes a little bit queasy, a little bit shaky. If that continues to build, we can see cardiac events,” Iverson said.
She said one of the best ways to protect your child is to have a conversation with them about what is and isn’t healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends older children only have a max of 100 milligrams of caffeine per day.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
