Caffeinated drinks seem to have become a lifestyle for American teens and tweens. A recent study from Epic Research showed that emergency department (ED) visits connected to consuming excessive amounts of caffeine nearly doubled among some age groups from 2017 to 2023. For kids ages 15 to 18, the rate increased from 7.4 per 100,000 visits in 2017 to 13.6 per 100,000 visits in 2023. But for kids ages 11 to 14, visits related to caffeine overdose or adverse effects more than doubled from 3.1 to 6.6 per 100,000 visits. Caffeine overdose can lead to severe cardiac events and even death. In 2017, a 16 year old boy died from caffeine-induced arrhythmia after consuming multiple caffeinated drinks. In 2022, a 21-year-old college student died after consuming a drink that was marketed as “Charged Lemonade,” prompting an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration and subsequent discontinuation of the beverage in May 2024. Study authors note that boys had much higher rates of caffeine-related ED visits than girls—as much as triple the rate. Prior research shows that males have an increased response to caffeine compared to females, they state.
Mom’s morning latte: Specialty coffees and energy drinks with high doses of stimulating caffeine are readily available, affordable, and desirable by tweens, teens and young adults. Meanwhile, parents—who may be drinking large amounts of coffee themselves—might not know enough about the dangers of excessive caffeine to limit kids’ consumption.