Does my child need energy drinks?

What are energy drinks?

Firstly, it is important to distinguish sports drinks from energy drinks. Both beverages are being increasingly marketed to children and adolescents with the promise of improved athletic and academic performance. Sports drinks are flavored beverages that often contain sugars, salts, and sometimes vitamins or other nutrients. Energy drinks, in contrast, have stimulants like caffeine and guarana, apart from varying amounts of sugars and salts. In children and adolescents, it is especially important to carefully consider the ingredients before giving any booster drinks to prevent excessive sugar and caloric intake that may encourage dental erosion, overweight, and obesity. Unfortunately, due to aggressive marketing, parents believe that drinks containing sugar are good for their child. Nothing can be further from the truth!

Who requires sports drinks?

Only athletes (either professional/serious amateurs), especially in competitive sports or when repeated/prolonged exposure to extreme physical activity is expected.
The average child/adolescent does not require them in lieu of water. These are ‘empty calories’ and increase caloric intake without providing additional nutritional value.
Energy drinks that contain stimulants are not required in any children or adolescents.

• Let your children have access to plenty of water throughout the day, especially in the hotter months of the year (more so in our country).
• Unless they are involved in training for/in competitive situations, do not substitute water with sugary drinks.
• Do not give any drink containing caffeine to children as it can affect almost all bodily functions and increase anxiety and sleep disturbances. Professional athletic adolescents can consume caffeine up to 100 mg/day. In the case of adults not more than 500 mg/day.
• Read the label containing ingredients and make sure that they do not contain caffeine, guarana, L-carnitine, taurine, or ginseng.