Teenagers and tweens start asking about it early—first with colas and sodas, but soon after with coffee and energy drinks. It’s all about caffeine. While adults might worry about caffeine hyping kids up and disrupting sleep, teens often seek out caffeine for the same reasons adults do.

Caffeine is a stimulant, make no mistake about that, but some of the things people believe about caffeine might not be fact-based. On this episode of ParentingU, Kali Broussard, MD joins host Stephanie to get the straight story about caffeine for teens and tweens. How much caffeine is too much? Does caffeine stunt kids’ growth? What is really in those energy drinks? Dr. Broussard provides some great guidelines all parents can use when making decisions about caffeine.

More Helpful ParentingU Resources

- Read our blog post all about caffeine for teens: Beyond the Buzz: Insights on Teens, Tweens and Caffeine

- Watch Dr. Broussard and Stephanie on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cFvSa9sEVUw

While you pour yourself another cup of coffee, if you know a parent who is interested in how much caffeine their kids are consuming, you’re invited to share this episode of ParentingU.

Season 4 of ParentingU is all about Teens and Tweens! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.