Should Kids Be Allowed To Drink Coffee? What are the side effects?

As coffee drinkers, people are quite familiar with the stimulating effect coffee can have. He has a talent for improving alertness, increasing energy, and helping to focus. This is the reason why many adults choose to drink coffee. Increased caffeine consumption has led to the advent of many online coffee shops.

Children like to imitate adults and if they see you drinking coffee, they will want to try it for themselves. However, it is probably a bad idea for a child to drink coffee. Caffeinated beverages can affect a child's ability to perform activities that require coordination, time, or mental focus. Therefore, children under the age of 12 should avoid caffeine.

Caffeine is absorbed into the body very quickly, can also decrease a person’s appetite, and cause them sleeping issues. If a child intakes excessive caffeine then they could suffer from agitation, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, and involuntary twitching. Children should not intake more than 4.5mg of caffeine per pound of body weight. A 12-ounce cup of coffee contains around 100mg of caffeine. Caffeine toxicity can lead to palpitations and an irregular heartbeat. Coffee guidelines are just that, too.

For a study published in 2016, Bachtell and colleagues administered caffeine to adolescent rats. They found that regular consumption of caffeine changed the way genes were expressed in the rats' brains and that these changes could be associated with increased symptoms of anxiety-related behaviors during adulthood in rats. Similar changes to similar genes in humans could have similar effects. Other Bachtell research has found that young rats exposed to caffeine have shown increased sensitivity to other stimulants that have been administered since then, including illicit drugs such as cocaine.

Studies in rats don't always translate into people. And there is a need for more research on coffee consumption and children in the real world. But a 2014 study seems to confirm the results for the Bachtell rat, which shows that children who consume energy drinks, which are also a major source of caffeine, may be at increased risk for anxiety during adulthood. "The result of all these studies is that teenage caffeine use can make the brain more vulnerable later in life," says Bachtell. "The negative consequences are not definitive, but I think the caution is justified."

So should parents deny teens coffee? Bakhell says it would not have gone that far. "As with most things, I think moderation is the key," he says. While the amount of caffeine can vary widely in coffee, an 8 oz. the cup should not contain much more than the 100 mg limit recommended by the AAP. As long as a young person drinks coffee early in the day, without loading it with sugar or other harmful additives, parents probably don't have to worry.

It's also worth noting that many of the studies linking coffee to health benefits have found that these benefits are worth both if a person is drinking decaf and on a regular basis, as the other components of coffee pay for those. dividends. For parents of teens who want to drink coffee, guiding them into the decaf "half-coffee" can mitigate any risks, which could provide some benefits.

Giving coffee to the little ones in the United States is almost a taboo. Due to the popularity of cafes, more and more children and teenagers are drinking coffee. People believe that coffee swabs grow in children, but there are many other side effects of coffee that have been shown to have negative effects on children and teens, such as insomnia, cavities, decreased appetite, and more.

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