Children should not drink coffee; breastfeeding mothers need to be careful with the amount

“Is there coffee today?” asks Alexandre, 2 years old. A female voice responds “do you want grapes?”. But the little one says, indignantly: “No! I want coffee! Alê can!”

Published four years ago, the recording of the baby who asks for coffee went viral once again and has already accumulated about 8.5 million views. Coffee and kids seems to be a combination that never goes out of style. But was the little one right when he said he could consume the drink? Not really.

Medical associations and experts say children should not consume caffeine, although the age at which the drink should be avoided altogether is a matter of debate. In the case of lactating women, health professionals indicate care with the amount to avoid poisoning in babies, although cases are rare.

According to the SBP (Brazilian Society of Pediatrics), caffeine should not be consumed by children from zero to two years of age and must be limited until late adolescence. The entity’s manuals indicate that the consumption of the substance, whether in coffee or other food, should be prohibited.

The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) is even more radical and advocates zero caffeine until age 12.

The AACAP (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) published a guide on the topic in 2020, in which it informs parents that caffeine, a stimulant nootropic present in coffee, also makes up other everyday products, such as soft drinks, teas, chocolates, energy drinks. , isotonic drinks and food supplements.

The institution declares that there is no safe dose tested for children under 12 years of age and points out that, from this age to 18 years, the limit should be around 100 mg per day (the equivalent of 355 ml of cola or a tin).

The SPSP (São Paulo Society of Pediatrics) declares that stimulant products with caffeine as energy drinks should be avoided by people under 18 years of age, since there are no studies on the safety of consumption of these drinks in this age group.

Pediatrician and nutritionist Rosana Tumas, president of the Nutrition Department at SPSP, says that, in the case of adolescents, the problem lies in the excessive consumption of coffee and caffeinated beverages, such as cola or energy drinks.

“It is necessary to be aware, because if consumed frequently, even in moderation, they can increase the risk of obesity, due to the high content of sugar present in these products”, he highlights.

While the maximum recommended dose for daily caffeine consumption in adults is 400 mg per day, that of a person aged 13 to 19 years old should not exceed 100 mg per day, and that of a child aged 2 to 12 years old should stay in the limit of 2 mg per kilogram per day.

Children, warns Classes, are a population at greater risk of developing secondary heart rhythm disorders due to the consumption of high doses of caffeine.

“The most common symptoms are insomnia and anxiety, but changes in mood and attention can also occur, in addition to the risk of physical dependence”, says the pediatrician. “Some people may be at an increased risk of experiencing some type of arrhythmia, which can even be fatal in extreme cases.”

Bill 455/15, currently being processed in the Chamber, discusses the ban on the sale of energy sources for persons under 18 years of age, but the current legislation is regulated by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency).

Current rules limit amounts of caffeine to 350 mg per liter in energy products and require an alert about the risks of its consumption by groups sensitive to the substance.

Marina Bortoni, 37, a pediatric intensivist at the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) at Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu, says she has never had a case of caffeine intoxication, but that it is not safe to consume until the age of 12.

“It’s the culture of the house. I’ve even seen offering milk with coffee in the bottle, but in the hospital we advise not to use it and even not prescribe it in the lactary”, he declares.

The doctor reinforces that pregnant and lactating women also need to avoid excessive consumption of coffee and products with caffeine to avoid intoxication in babies – cases, however, are rare. The professional highlights that young people are a vulnerable group.

“The greatest care is with teenagers, because there are many supplements with caffeine that are sold over-the-counter, in addition to energy drinks”, ponders Bortoni.

Caffeine can improve concentration in adults and children, but it can also cause insomnia, anxieties, hyperactivity, headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, gastritis, and tremors. Caffeine overdose can cause, according to the AACAP, vomiting, high blood pressure, racing heart, arrhythmia and even disorientation and hallucinations in extreme cases.

Nutritionist Ana Paula Cancio, 31, master and doctoral student in food, nutrition and health at UERJ (University of the State of Rio de Janeiro), recalls that the metabolism of children and adolescents is faster and susceptible to nutritional deficits.

“Even for adults it is important to be aware of the amount of caffeine in the day to day and together with meals, as the despised can interfere with the absorption of some nutrients”, says Cancio.

Another problem associated with coffee and caffeinated beverages is impaired calcium absorption. In 2009, researchers at the University of Porto, in Portugal, already estimated a loss of 4 mg of calcium for each cup of coffee consumed, which hinders both those who already have bone loss and those who are growing.

“The maturation of bones occurs until the age of 19. After this phase, the body only removes and replaces calcium according to the needs of metabolism, but without increasing the ‘established’ mass”, says the nutritionist.