Energy drinks have transformed from a quick lethargy fix into a badge of coolness for today's teenagers. However, with sales soaring, the question arises: should we be more concerned about their growing popularity among young people?
Parenting teenagers is already a minefield, filled with worries about social media, academic pressures and communication challenges. Now, it seems parents have a new concern to add to their list: monitoring their teens' caffeine intake.
What our writer learned
I’ll admit that I was quite ignorant to the world of energy drinks and the detrimental impact caffeine can have on the mind and body when we consume too much of it. Having said that, it was surprising to learn that depending on the brand, some energy drinks contain less caffeine than a standard cup of coffee which is definitely reassuring to know. It takes some of the worry out of teenagers consuming energy drinks, especially if it’s only happening occasionally.
The soaring popularity of caffeinated energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull has led to a worrying trend: teens are now consuming more caffeine than ever. While an occasional can might not be harmful, regular consumption can lead to a range of health issues, including anxiety, sleep problems and even stomach upsets.
To better understand this growing trend, we look at the reasons behind the surging popularity of energy drinks among teens and get some top expert insights from nutritionist Jenna Hope and dietitian Angelica Fardella.
Are caffeine drinks ‘status symbols’ for our teens?
Said to be worth £1.7b, caffeinated energy drinks make a sizeable dent in the UK economy, accounting for approximately 5% of the total soft drinks market. Possession of these drinks can provide a significant amount of social currency for teens. This is largely driven by social media which, despite being a breeding ground for questionable health advice, has been found to have a direct influence on young people’s energy drink consumption.
It’s yet another thing that can make parenting teenagers today such a challenge, along with trying to figure out who your child is growing into, which can lead some parents to take drastic action. GoodtoKnow's family editor, Stephanie Lowe tells us, "My six-year-old knows all about Prime and it's not from me or his dad. It's like energy drinks have become some kind of status symbol among kids aged 10+. They want to be seen with the Prime can or holding a Monster can. It baffles me."
And despite calls to ban the sale of energy drinks to under 16s due to their caffeine and sugar content, the hyper-trend is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, sales of Monster — one of the UK’s top selling energy drink brands — saw record growth in the first quarter of 2024.
So how young is too young to start consuming caffeine? “I’d say not until after the age of 18. And I would only really recommend it in the form of dark chocolate, tea or coffee,” says nutritionist Jenna Hope. “Teenagers might not necessarily be able to metabolise caffeine as well as adults, and this could affect things like their bones for example, because caffeine can inhibit the absorption of calcium, which is obviously really important for supporting bone health.”
“Energy drinks are high in sugar and artificial sweeteners, obviously high in caffeine and high in bulking agents and chemicals — ingredients that the body just doesn't know what to do with. This can affect things like hormone function which is really key, because for teenagers their hormones are changing, and if you interfere with that, it can have a knock on effect on your overall health and mental wellbeing.”
Are teens drinking too much caffeine?
With researchers finding that young people in the UK are the biggest consumers of energy drinks in Europe for their age group, and highlighting the adverse effects of energy drinks on adolescents, you’d be hard-pressed to dispute that teenagers are indeed drinking too much caffeine.
The recommended daily amount of caffeine for children and teenagers in the UK is 3mg per kg of body weight (it’s up to 400mg per day for adults). One study found that the average caffeine content of energy drinks equates to 158mg in a 500ml bottle, arguing that ‘A single serving of these drinks therefore surpasses this recommendation for adolescents with a body weight below 53 kg’, which is around eight stone.
We know how difficult it can be to keep tabs on everything your child eats and drinks once they reach a certain age and gain more freedom. And as one in four parents confirm that their teen consumes caffeine daily or nearly every day, it also has to be acknowledged that it can be difficult for parents to correctly estimate their teen's caffeine intake.
Signs your teen may be drinking too much caffeine
Caffeine has been proven to have several adverse effects on children and teenagers when consumed in excessive amounts. These include things like arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), diarrhoea, headaches, seizures and high blood pressure.
A 2024 study also found that energy drinks posed an increased risk of mental health issues among children and young people, including anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Speaking about the effect that the Monster energy drink was having on her 16-year-old daughter, one Reddit user wrote: “I've asked her countless times to cut back to at most 1 a day because she's currently at 3 or 4 on any given day. I've explained to her why, however she doesn't listen to me. She says she can't sleep at night at all even without drinking any and it caused her to get in trouble in school because she falls asleep a lot.”
What is caffeine?
“Caffeine is a psychoactive substance,” explains Jenna. “Essentially it’s a drug, and I think it’s one of the most over-abused, socially acceptable drugs in the world.” Though most commonly sourced from coffee beans, it can also be found in things like cacao beans, kola nuts, tea leaves and the guarana berry.
“Energy drinks are marketed to children and young people as a way to improve energy and performance, but findings from a research paper published in the Public Health journal earlier this year suggest that they are actually doing more harm than good,” says Angelica Fardella, Dietitian at Innermost. “Excessive consumption was associated with risky behaviours such as violence and binge drinking, whilst others also reported heart palpitations, frequent urination, insomnia and headaches.”
Where are teens getting their caffeine from?
It’s probably helpful to make the distinction between energy drinks and other caffeine drinks. Energy drinks typically have a much higher sugar content than other caffeinated drinks and depending on the brand can contain a significantly higher amount of caffeine than the average cup of coffee.
The PRIME brand (which has both caffeinated Energy drinks and non-caffeinated Hydration drinks) fronted by KSI and Logan Paul is the new kid on the block, sending children around the country into a frenzy when it launched in 2022. However, despite its initial popularity, sales have plummeted by more than 50% based on data from the first quarter of 2024.
According to research carried out in 2019, the five drinks representing 75% of the UK energy drinks market were Lucozade, Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar and Relentless.
Lucozade: 12mg of caffeine per 100ml
Red Bull: 80mg of caffeine per 250ml
Monster Energy: 160mg of caffeine per 500ml
Rockstar: 100mg of caffeine per 250ml
Relentless: 32mg of caffeine per 100 ml
Brewed coffee: 96mg of caffeine per 237ml
Brewed black tea: 47mg of caffeine per 237ml
Featured experts
Jenna is a Registered Nutritionist and the author of How To Stay Healthy. She has undergraduate and masters degrees in nutrition, and she works closely with individuals, brands, and the media, to provide practical, non-restrictive nutrition advice. Jenna aims to simplify nutrition and support long-term health and well-being.
Angelica is a Registered Dietitian with a BSc in Dietetics. Her interest in wellness began at a young age when she was diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus disease and chronic gastritis which she healed through healthy diet and lifestyle choices. As a high-performing sportswoman, she is passionate about the role of food in healing the body and the impact of a healthy diet and lifestyle on physical performance and mental wellbeing.
Concerned about your teen's development? We've got you covered with a wealth of online resources, from tackling those awkward teenage odours to navigating the world of dating safely. And if conversations with your teen feel like pulling teeth, check out our 35 tips for improving communication and building a stronger connection.
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