Updated on February 12, 2023
Is coffee a growth inhibitor? One thing is obvious: Caffeine-containing beverages are meant for adults. However, it is not a given that coffee will prevent children from growing normally. Coffee is not likely to slow pubertal changes, just as it is not likely to stunt your growth if you are a child. A comparable question is if coffee stunts puberty, and the answer is quite similar. We’ll try to explain why people think coffee makes you shorter by slowing your growth before going into detail about why there is absolutely no link between use of coffee and growth.
Is coffee bad for kids?
Coffee ought to be reserved for adults. Children are far more susceptible to the negative effects of caffeine and are more inclined to do so. This implies that children will have trouble falling asleep, even hours after consuming coffee (or caffeinated beverages). In addition, children are much more sensitive to sleep deprivation than adults are, and this aspect can actually slow down children’s growth. Additionally, children are considerably more likely to experience stomach issues due to coffee’s acidity.
What does this all imply? It means that while youngsters shouldn’t drink coffee, this particular brew doesn’t hinder development on its own. However, as we’ve seen, youngsters are more likely to have things like sleep disorders and gastrointestinal problems, which might in fact limit your child’s usefulness.
Origin Of “Coffee Stunts Growth” Myth
Numerous research from a few years ago suggested a link between coffee and osteoporosis, which is “known” to shorten people’s stature. The problem is that more recent research have been unable to support the suggested link between coffee and osteoporosis, which supposedly stunts growth.
Only extreme and excessive consumption (i.e., more than 5 cups per day) of this beverage may result in significant health problems like infertility and miscarriage, according to a Harvard study on the effects of coffee on the human body, though more research is required to definitively prove this association. Miscarriage, the latter issue, brings up a crucial query. Does coffee hinder a child’s growth? As we’ve seen, it appears that excessive consumption may currently cause miscarriage. This indicates that in order to prevent any health issues, pregnant women should only sometimes and moderately consume coffee (of the baby).
In conclusion, children should never ingest coffee in any form, including through their mother’s milk. The Mayo Clinic holds the same view.
Coffee And Stunt Growth In Adolescents
According to Medical News Today, teenagers should limit their daily caffeine intake to no more than 100 mg. When teenagers reach the age of 16 or 17, it’s acceptable for them to occasionally drink a cup of coffee. However, it’s critical that they avoid energy drinks, which are much more dangerous than a single cup of coffee because they frequently contain large amounts of caffeine, sugar, taurin, and other stimulants.
A survey found that the vast majority (83.2%) of adolescents regularly consume caffeine-containing beverages. This is obviously a lot, and young people should be aware of the risks associated with (extreme) caffeine use.
When approaching this, one shouldn’t take an authoritative/subordinate stance (for instance, one shouldn’t lecture children about how they must abstain from drinking coffee). Outright prohibitions won’t really help because the teenage years are also pretty chaotic in terms of problems with authority. A kid is much more likely to reach his or her own (logical) conclusions if a parent presents evidence that suggests that excessive drinking of coffee (and other caffeinated beverages) may be harmful.
Can Teenagers drink coffee?
As was stressed, the most remote risk associated with teen caffeine consumption is stunted growth. You should watch your child’s coffee intake if they have insomnia, sensitivity, or digestive problems. Teenagers can consume beverages with modest quantities of caffeine starting at the age of 16 or 17 (depending on their body type and mass) (like most green teas, for instance).