More and more products are appearing on the market to which caffeine has been added. It is often not clear that products contain this substance. This increases the chance that children will ingest too much of this. Children are extra sensitive to caffeine and products rich in caffeine are not recommended for children under 13 years of age. If children consume too much caffeine, this can lead to restlessness, hyperactivity and even insomnia.

What caffeine is

Caffeine is a natural substance found in many plant shrubs. The most famous are the coffee and tea bush. This substance has a slightly stimulating effect, giving you an invigorating feeling and making you more alert. In some cases it can even drive away fatigue. Caffeine gives products a slightly bitter taste. In addition to coffee, this substance is found in smaller quantities in tea, energy drinks, cola, iced tea, drinks with guarana, chocolate and hot chocolate. This substance is often also a component of painkillers.

Increase in caffeine-containing products

More and more products coming onto the market contain caffeine, which increases the chance that children will ingest too much of this substance. Energy drinks have become popular and contain a lot of this stimulating substance. More and more products are coming onto the market that contain extra caffeine, such as water, cola and sweets. Parents must be alert to this.

Products containing caffeine

A distinction is made between caffeine-rich and caffeine-containing products. Caffeinated products are: tea, cola and chocolate. Caffeine-rich products contain more caffeine and examples include:

• Coffee
• Energy drink
• Soft drink with extra caffeine
• Candy with added caffeine

Pay attention to label

If the product contains a lot of caffeine, this will be stated on the label. If it is stated that it has a high caffeine content, the product contains more than 150 milligrams of caffeine per liter. This does not need to be indicated for coffee. Caffeine-containing products are not required to have a notification on the label.

Too much caffeine

Too much of this substance can have adverse effects. Because children are extra sensitive to caffeine, caffeine-rich products are not recommended by the Nutrition Center for children under the age of 13. Young children in particular can react strongly to caffeine. Because it is not always clearly stated on the packaging, a child can unknowingly consume too much caffeine. This can cause the following complaints:

• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• Palpitations
• Need to urinate faster
• Nausea
• Being anxious

Energy drinks

There are many children who are still in primary school and regularly drink an energy drink. These drinks contain a lot of caffeine. An energy drink contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Children react much more strongly to this than an adult. Parents should therefore ensure that children do not drink too many of these drinks. In addition to caffeine, energy drinks (not diet) contain many calories.

Negative side effects

In addition to a stimulating effect on performance and mood, caffeine also has negative side effects. Too high a dose of this substance can cause complaints such as: trembling, irritability, headache, dizziness, insomnia and palpitations. Adults often know what amount they can use without experiencing any complaints. This does not apply to children. Especially in young children, a small amount of caffeine can quickly lead to negative side effects. If a child is used to consuming a lot of caffeine, he or she may experience withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop taking this substance.

Advice for children

Research shows that a quarter of children in group eight regularly drink energy drinks, in addition to using other caffeinated products such as candy or cola. The Nutrition Center advises that a child does not drink more than 1 to 2 cans of energy drinks per day. If other caffeinated products are used, this will have to be taken into account.