Caffeine: How much is too much

By Dr. Kimberly Nicholson

Do you or your child suffer from insomnia, headaches or panic attacks? Could you have recently changed your caffeine intake, or perhaps you aren’t sure?

Many adults drink coffee or tea regularly and may be quite familiar with the withdrawal symptoms to expect if they don’t consume their typical amount. With so many new or newly formulated energy drinks today, it can be very easy to drink large amounts of caffeine. This can lead to symptoms like a racing heart, feeling anxious, an upset stomach, and difficulty sleeping.

Caffeine can alleviate a headache in the short term, but both higher doses of caffeine and caffeine dependence can cause headaches. A couple of times a week I see an adolescent patient in my office with new or worsening headaches, and we discover that they have recently started drinking energy drinks.

These products are incredibly popular with middle schoolers and high schoolers. Some are sold by trusted brands or maybe a new product line for what was previously known as a sports or hydration drink. Many are flashy and trendy products, often endorsed by athletes, musicians, or influencers. It can be difficult to determine if a product contains added caffeine at times, so watch out for these common “buzz” words: refresh, focus, energize, fast twitch, charged, boost or uplift.

Manufacturers may voluntarily include caffeine content on the package, or consumers can check the caffeine chart available online at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Eight ounces of home-brewed coffee has about 80 to 100 mg of caffeine, while energy drinks can have three to four times that amount. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the consumption of energy drinks for children and teens. If adults choose to have energy drinks, they should be careful to keep them out of the reach of children.

Next time your child asks for the latest popular energy drink, be informed. It may be packaged like soda, but it may have the caffeine content of 10 sodas.

Kimberly Nicholson, M.D., FAAP, is with Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida) with offices throughout Lee County. www.ppcswfl.com