Caffeine and Teens: How Addicted Are You?

Caffeine has become a staple in the North American teenage diet. Many teens consume it and a handful can't live without it, but how many of them realize that it is actually an addictive substance, one that has the potential to do terrible things to the body?

We all know that addiction can be harmful, but do we consider caffeine addictive? "I guess that would depend on what your definition of [addiction] is," says DiAnne Simonson, a home economics teacher at McMath Secondary. "The over-consumption of caffeine can be dangerous when you start having symptoms of irritability, have trouble sleeping and so on. As with anything in life, moderation is key."

Caffeine comes in the most delectable packages, like smooth lattes, icy colas and moist chocolate cake. "[Coffee] just makes you feel good, it helps beat other cravings," says Kyle Greer, a student at McMath Secondary. "It tastes so good, it's a great hot drink," adds Joseph Cheng.

Unfortunately, these comforts come with a price: the consumption of an addictive beverage, loaded with side effects. It can make you dehydrated, cause insomnia and is filled with empty calories (calories with no nutritional value). According to Health Canada, caffeine may also cause muscle tremors, nausea, high blood pressure, increased heart rate and risk the effect of osteoporosis and infertility. The consequences of withdrawal are harsh, too. Ex-consumers may find themselves irritable, fatigued and nervous, not unlike a drug addict. Apparently though, the "œcoffee stunts your growth" myth is just that, as there is no scientific study to confirm it.

Experts on the Health Canada website write that "it is difficult to link precise intake levels of caffeine to specific health effects because tolerance to caffeine differs widely from person to person," but that "the increasing presence of caffeine in our lives raises the question of how much is too much for the average consumer."

Adults are recommended to intake no more than 400 mg of caffeine daily, while for teens, this number plummets to 85 mg. That's about two cans of cola, a coffee or one small Red Bull.

Yet, caffeine consumption is on the rise. The National Coffee Association of USA has documented that the percentage of teen and young adult consumers (aged 18 to 24) has nearly doubled since 2003 from 16 per cent to 31 per cent. One obvious reason for the increase is the popularity of coffee houses and franchises such as Starbucks and Second Cup - there's something trendy about carrying your Starbucks drink to school. Another factor is the use of marketing and advertising by a variety of companies to specifically target teens and young adults.

The energy drink industry, in particular, campaigns with the intent to draw in a younger audience. According to a research article published in the Nutrition Journal, in 2006, more than 500 new energy drinks were introduced worldwide - most of the stimulus was from the impressive jump in teenage consumption sales. Meanwhile, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, energy drinks in North America have grown in the last five years from a US$500 million business to a US$1 billion powerhouse, becoming the fastest growing section of North America's beverage industry.

Of course, there are those who disagree with the arguments that caffeine can be damaging to the body. Dr. Art Hister from Global TV writes on his online blog, "For some reason I can't fathom, some researchers hate coffee and are always looking to find ill effects from drinking my favourite brew. Trouble is, when looked at objectively, few of these damaging reports from lab studies turn out to be true in real life." He continues to say that the proof that these "experts" have on the negative effects of caffeine are non-conclusive and that they are NOT - contrary to what scientists from Health Canada say - related to higher risks of cancer, high blood pressure, heart attack or ulcers.

The negative effects of caffeine may not be conclusive, but they are something to be considered more seriously in teens. Try taking all sources of caffeine out of your diet for a few weeks, and see what happens. How does your body feel after being caffeine-free for a while?

It may be trendy, make you feel hyped and energized or taste fabulous, but next time you feel the craving for that delicious caffeinated concoction, take the time to think twice before you head off to your local 7-11 or favourite coffee shop.

Do you drink caffeine?