Caffeine effects on a child's body

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When people hear the word caffeine, usually coffee is the first word that pops into their heads. However, there are lots of products being sold on the market now that contain caffeine, which may increase kids' consumption of it. 

Caffeine can be found in soda, bottled iced tea, chocolates and energy drinks, states Water Town Daily. Most of the time teens stock up on coffee and energy drinks in order to stay awake for school or simply to play games or have a movie/series marathon.

According to Harvard Medical School, caffeine effectively suppresses a chemical in the brain, named adenosine, which is responsible for sleep, states News 9.

Caffeine also happens to look like adenosine to nerve cells, which attracts adenosine receptors. When the receptors bind to caffeine chemicals in the body, it can cause blood vessels to constrict.

In addition, caffeine also releases adrenaline in the body, triggering the "fight or flight" reflex, which caused the muscles to tighten, and increases the heart rate and blood pressure of the body.

As a result, drinking too much caffeine can have negative side effects to the body and may even cause death. After all, caffeine is still considered a stimulant.

While most people consume caffeinated drinks simply to stay awake, they are unaware of some of the other ways caffeine can affect the body especially in children.

Caffeine can also lead to the following symptoms: jitteriness and nervousness, upset stomach, headaches, sleeping problems, and difficulty concentrating, informs Kids Health. 

There is also some research that links bouts of depression with increased caffeine consumption. Regular consumption of caffeine can even lead to withdrawal symptoms if suddenly cut off from the stimulant.

Too much caffeine can lead to death, if not careful. According to News 9, an 18-year-old boy was found dead in his home in July 2014 because of caffeine consumption. The cause of death was an overdose on pure powdered caffeine, which caused the young male to have a seizure and cardiac arrhythmia.

An average of 80 to 90 percent of people in all of North America regularly consumes caffeine, reports News 9. Unlike the United States, Canada's Health sector advises parents to limit the amount of caffeine children consume.

In Canada, parents are advised to follow these caffeine dosages: kids 4 to 6 years-old have a 45 milligram limit, kids 7 to 9 years-old have a 62.5 milligram limit, and kids ages 10 to 12 have a 85 milligram limit.

Meanwhile for adolescents there is a limit of 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.