Is Your Child Getting a Daily Caffeine Buzz?
July 9, 2008
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While Mountain Dew contains 55 milligrams of caffeine in a 12 ounce serving, one 8 ounce serving of Monster has 75 milligrams of caffeine and a 16 ounce SoBe Adrenaline Rush includes 152 milligrams of caffeine. Because many of the cans for these drinks have gotten larger, kids are getting 2-3 times the caffeine listed on the label.
In addition to the problems associated with the caffeine in energy drinks, the amount of sugar per serving is staggering. An average serving size of most energy drinks contains about 28 - 40 grams of sugar. That is 7-10 packets of sugar. Because sugar is implicated in health issues ranging from depressed immune systems to obesity to diabetes to cancer, kids drinking these energy drinks are severely compromising their health. And the sugar-free versions are loading kids up with artificial sweeteners that are known neuro-toxins - poison to the brain.
Many of the energy drinks you find in the hands of children and teenagers are a blend of different forms of caffeine, sugar and other herbs. The Medical Director from the Center of Integrative Medicine at the Encino-Tarzan Regional Medical Center says, “It just becomes more of a witches brew. You’re playing with things we don’t really understand and the longterm consequences are unclear.”
Also, not to be overlooked, the companies who market energy drinks to kids are sending the message that kids need these drinks to get a buzz, to get through the day, to feel differently or to get a boost. Children are learning to rely on drugs and other substances to feel good. Many kids, instead of eating well, exercising or getting enough sleep are falling right into the same patterns many adults have, which in turn contribute to serious health issues. Since young people’s brains and bodies are still developing and because energy drinks are a fairly new phenomena, research on the long-term health consequences of using these products is not available.
As parents, we want our kids to be healthy and happy. It’s important that we make parenting decisions that support that . Don’t allow your young children to drink energy drinks - not even for ‘a treat’ - and if you have teenagers who drink them, educate them about the health consequences and don’t allow them to drink these beverages in your home.
Resources for this article: Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America’s #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniski Energy Drink Hype: A Monster of Concern, newsletter by Brighton High School Counselors
Health Kids, Happy Moms @ http://www.nourishyourkids.com
Two moms, one a Holistic Health Educator and the other a Holistic Pediatrician, help moms raise healthier children.
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I am looking to find out who is the editor for Treasure Life magazine?