14 Dangerous Side Effects Of Energy Drinks For Kids
You visit the super market and see a wide range of energy drinks stocked up everywhere. You turn on your television set and see various energy drinks commercials running all the time.
In the last few years, energy drinks sale have really shot up. A lot of this is due to its alliance with sports, which makes people associate it with active lifestyle. Together, these make your child want one too and you start to wonder whether it really is good for him or not.
Energy drinks are hitting the market like never before. With the increased promotion, most children think energy drinks are good for boosting their energy. They consume it while studying, or before a test, before a sport or even during a party.
What Are Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks are a form of beverage.
- The only difference between these drinks and others is that they have caffeine added to it.
- Apart from caffeine, they also have good amounts of added sugar, amino acids, artificial flavors, sweeteners and even herbs and vitamins added to it.
- They do not provide any health benefit.
- They simply have a stimulating effect on the drinker for a while.
Why Are These Popular?
Energy drinks are largely popular because they give short-term benefits to the consumer.
- The ingredients of energy drinks act as short-term stimulants.
- This is said to give teens an increased alertness and enhanced concentration power and energy for a while.
- Caffeine, found in most energy drinks in high quantity, is the universal nervous stimulant.
Energy Drinks Are Not The Same As Sports Drink:
Most people mistake energy drinks to be sports drink. However, this is just a myth or misconception.
- Sports drinks are meant to rehydrate one’s body after a vigorous physical activity session. Energy drinks do not do so.
- Sports drinks do not contain caffeine, energy drinks do.
Benefits Of Energy Drinks For Children:
The trick to benefiting from energy drinks is to drink it in moderation. The possible benefits of children energy drinks are as stated below:
- Helps reduce fatigue for a short while.
- Helps stay awake for long.
- Helps become and stay more alert for a while.
- Helps concentrate better for a while.
The manufacturers of energy drinks claim that consumption of energy drinks results in improved physical performance and aids weight loss too. But these claims are yet to be proved.
But there are thesis that even claim that energy drinks are not safe for kids. Are energy drinks bad for kids? Yes, they cause certain side effects too.
10 Initial Side Effects Of Energy Drinks On Kids:
More than benefiting, energy drinks tend to wash children out. The high caffeine content is said to have lot of side effects on toddlers,older kids or teenagers.
The possible reasons why energy drinks are bad for kids, when consumed either in regular or high amounts are as stated below:
1. Prolonged use of energy drinks can cause headaches, dizziness and even palpitations.
2. It causes difficulty in sleeping, hence disrupting sleeping pattern.
3. It causes frequent urination.
4. It also leads to jitters and increases blood pressure.
5. Its withdrawal causes severe fatigue.
6. It can also cause certain allergic reactions.
7. It can cause distress to the respiratory system.
8. It leads to shaking, restlessness, seizures and even agitation.
9. It causes attention insufficiency and also hyperactivity.
10. It also causes behavioral disorders and mood swings.
Major Side Effects Of Energy Drinks On Children:
As these drinks are high in their sugar content, they can affect your child in the following ways:
1. High sugar content in energy drinks causes tooth decay.
2. It also increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
3. It paves way to obesity.
4. The high sugar content in energy drinks often turns addictive.
Consume Energy Drinks Safely:
As they say, too much of anything is bad for health. This same statement holds true for energy drinks. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Make sure your child consumes in moderation.
- Do not let your child make it staple to the daily diet.
- Always try and opt for the smaller can, this will prevent your child from consuming more.
- Always read the nutrition information before buying energy drinks. Different brands have different ingredients in different quantities.
- A lot of ingredients used in energy drinks interfere with medications. So avoid it completely if your child is under medication.
These drinks do not have any therapeutic benefits as such. So it is recommended that you ask your child to avoid having it on a regular basis and just enjoy it once in a blue moon.
We hope you liked the information shared here on energy drinks for children. Tell us about more benefits and side effects of energy drinks you know in the comment box below.
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