In a clinical report the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) summarizes how these products can be misused, pointing out their ingredients and providing guidance on how to reduce or eliminate their consumption by children and adolescents. The report, “Energy and sports drinks for children and adolescents: are they suitable?” was published in a medical journal Pediatrics.
“There is a lot of confusion about sports drinks and energy drinks, and teens often don’t know the differences between these products,” he said. Marcie Beth Schneider, MD, FAAP, member of the AAP Nutrition Committee and co-author of the report and added: “Some children are consuming energy drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine when they simply want to rehydrate after exercise. This means they are ingesting large amounts of caffeine and stimulants that can be dangerous for them.”
“Sports drinks and energy drinks are two different products,” he said. Holly J. Benjamin, MD, FAAP, member of the executive committee of AAP Council for Sports Medicine and Fitness and co-author of the report and added: “The purpose of sports drinks, which contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and flavors, is to replace the water and electrolytes that are eliminated through sweat during exercise. “Sports drinks can help young athletes who participate in vigorous physical activity for a long time, but in most cases they are not necessary on the sports field or in the school cafeteria.”
According to specialists, sports drinks contain extra calories that children do not need and that could contribute to obesity and tooth decay. It is best for children to drink water during and after exercise and to consume the recommended amount of juice and low-calorie milk with meals. Additionally, energy drinks are not recommended as drinks to be taken with meals.
To keep in mind, energy drinks contain substances that sports drinks do not have and that act as stimulants, such as caffeine, guarana and taurine. “Caffeine, which is the most popular stimulant, has been linked to several harmful health effects in children, such as effects on the development of neurological and cardiovascular systems. “Energy drinks are not suitable for children or adolescents,” explained the experts consulted.
Finally, Dr. Schneider concluded: “In many cases, it is difficult to determine how much caffeine a product has when reading the label. Some cans or bottles of energy drinks have more than 500 mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to 14 cans of soda or soft drinks.
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