From what age can children drink coffee?

This is a common question among parents, especially those who have children who are bordering on adolescence. At what age can children start having a cup of coffee for breakfast or order a frapuccino with cream for a snack in a cafe? In general, pediatricians and endocrinologists advise against caffeine consumption in childhood until at least 12 years of age, just when they enter high school, get up earlier and start hanging out with friends. But this recommendation not only refers to coffee but also to colas and energy drinks, which also contain caffeine. And a lot.

«In fact, one of the main limitations of the studies that have been carried out so far to analyze the effects of coffee consumption in children is precisely that the main source of caffeine at this stage is not the infusion but carbonated and energy drinks, “so it is difficult to establish general recommendations for coffee consumption in children,” explains Dr. Francisco Botella, coordinator of the Nutrition Area of ​​the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN).

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), one of the most prestigious in the world, you should not drink any coffee until age 12 at the earliest. “And from 12 to 18, one cup a day – about 100 milligrams – maximum.” Canadians are even more restrictive and reduce the caffeine that a teenager should drink daily to 45 milligrams, equivalent to a can of cola.

According to experts, the ‘problem’ is not so much the substance itself as the amount taken. «In fact, positive associations have been described between caffeine consumption during childhood and physical and cognitive performance: in the short term there is greater excitement, while in the long term it increases motor activity, perception and even intelligence. However, its intake is also related to greater emotional hypersensitivity (anxiety and depression) and changes in sleep patterns. In this sense, I strongly insist on the difficulty of making categorical statements, since the possible beneficial effect of consuming a moderate amount of coffee can be greatly exceeded if any type of sugar or sweetener is added,” warns Dr. Francisco Botella.

Is it addictive?

Ingesting too much caffeine at such an early age – just drinking a can of energy drink doubles the recommended amount – can cause nervousness, insomnia, headaches, stomach upset in the child… «With the aggravating factor that this consumption of caffeine It is usually accompanied by a lot of sugar,” the specialists agree. A cream frappuccino with chocolate chips, for example, contains 52 grams of sugar, double the recommended daily amount. The same goes for popular energy drinks. A half-liter can can contain up to 75 grams.

Furthermore, drinking too much caffeine – more than six cups of coffee a day in the case of adults – “can generate a certain dependency and abrupt withdrawal can even lead to a mild withdrawal syndrome,” warns the director of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology. and Nutrition.