Energy Drinks For Children?

Since when did kids need energy? My six year old boy is on the go dawn to dusk, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

In the last few days, I've been hearing a lot about KickStart Spark (TM), an energy drink marketed to children 4 yrs and up. Amongst other things, it contains 60 mg. of caffeine per serving!

How can this be good for children? Thats like, two sodas worth. The company, Advocare of Carrollton, Texas, is scrambling to justify their product. Critics are questioning the wisdom of having that concentration of caffeine in a children's beverage.

I think its just plain nuts. But then, that's just me.

Energy Drinks for Kids?

By MARC LALLANILLA, ABC News

Sept. 26, 2005 — There's nothing new in marketing products to children, even products intended for adults. But doctors are concerned that a new sports drink containing caffeine and other substances, marketed to children as young as 4 years old, may have gone too far.

Spark, a product aimed at adults and teens manufactured by Advocare of Carrollton, Texas, contains 120 milligrams of caffeine — roughly the same amount as a cup of coffee — as well as 200 mg of taurine and 50 mg of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a compound with stimulant properties.

These ingredients are usually found in energy drinks and sports beverages intended for elite athletes.

KickStart Spark, a related product specifically marketed for children 4 years and older, contains even more gamma-aminobutyric acid (100 mg), 200 mg of taurine and 60 mg of caffeine. (emphasis added)

Are taurine, which maybe someone can explain the properties of, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is like a stimulant, pseudo child steroids?






[edit on 1-10-2005 by Icarus Rising]

Energy drinks for anythign below teenage ages are just stupid. Even drinking energy drinsk a lot as a teenager are bad. Cept when you are hangning with friends and trying to pull an all nighter (2 in a row with the help of jolt ultra lots of taurine caffeine and other stuff)

But c'mon 4 years old!?!?!?!? If a kid drinks this before school every teacher is gonna think he has ADD or somesuch.


Could starbucks be trying to rope in more future customers?

EDIT: You should post this as an ATSNN story.

[edit on 10/1/05 by cpr12r]

Thanks for the encouragement. I had thought about it at first, and maybe now I will. This is an important story, but I figured it would get alot of 'not right' votes. That happens to me a lot. Poor me. I'm 'not right' for ATS, (sigh).

Go for it... just chec kgrammar and bias in the first paragraph and look for spellign mistakes and you are fine.

This is insane... why is it that corporate America is free to push harmful, addictive drugs like processed sugar and caffiene on four-year-old children, but I, a responsible adult, can't smoke a joint if I feel like it?

Energy drinks for four-year-olds... that's nothing more and nothing less than sickening.

I already had to edit five times! I'm not fully awake yet. Anyway, I put it up, and we'll see if she flies.

Thanks again. Have a great day.

Well....Maybe the parents shouldn't buy this crap for their kids. The whole problem with these issues is that about 99% of them can be avoided if parents would wake up and pay attention.

my kid is 5, ands she hasn't even had soda yet.


we can only hope this goes the way of jolt cola and pop rocks.....most parents with an IQ of 55 would have the same reaction...its the 11 year olds that can get it from a vending machine that will be the big market

i think energy drinks are really bad news... has anyone heard of red bull?? It's like you have 1 drink of it and your off your head.I think it's banned in America and in france. Cause a few people have actually died after drinking it.

it increases your heart rate and is supposed to make you think faster.

Having it with vodka is a leathel combination. I know myself, cause i've tried that and my friends had to sit me down cause i was liturally jumping around the bar.

It's also very addictive! I know people who have to drink 3 cans of the stuff in a day or they have withdrawl symptoms. it has about 600% RDA(recommended daily allowance) of these chemicals i've never heard of. and soooo much caffiene!

omg. It's totally a scam I believe. When I get a child I will never let him/her have pop or energy drinks. It's completely unnatural and in my opinion it's irresponsible to let your kids have it. Junk food in general is designed to get you physically and chemically addicted to the food. It has chemicals that are harmful to the body. Stay away!

Caffeine is the most abused drug in the country. You develop a chemical dependence upon it just like any other harder, illicit drug. The effects aren't anywhere near as bad, nor is the need for it, but the fact remains it's an addictive drug, and one that damages your mind for using it. (not to mention stains your teeth)

Why would you ever want to let your kids have this? Why would you ever want to have it yourself, except in controlled amounts? There's a lot to be said for a developing mind, and keeping mind-altering substances away from one.

Whoa!!! Hold on there!

Caffeine like almost any substance in moderation. Can be beneficial.

Xanthine is a Central Nervous stimulant That helps with "work" performance. The negative side effect is xanthine tolerance and negative side effects like headache, increased blood pressure, peptic ulcers, etc.

Tannin, another coffee chemical helps increases wound healing, and decreases inflammation. (Note: since it decreases water absorption, it will cause increased "peeing" and constipation. Most noticeable in Decaf coffee.) Tannin is the substance in Coffee that decreases Gall stones.

Diterpene, another coffee chemical on the other hand is not good for you. And produces Bad Cholesterol. (Which is not found in tea, btw. My CHL count)

Please remember, Any substance in Nature Can be beneficial. But also have negative consequences

On the side note, With the push for greater results from Education. It doesn't surprise me. That they are attempting to Use CNS stimulants to increase "Test" results. With the prevalence of poor nutrition and lack of exercise in Children. The Risk of early heart attacks is frightening.

My kids are never ever given caffeine of any kind. They don't get tea, they don't get cokes and very very rarely they will get a sprite when out at a restaurant, but it is rare. I don't drink many cokes nor does my husband, so, it isn't like we single them out

My daughter is VERY sensitive to caffeine and sugar, my son isn't as sensitive to it.

Why ANY parent would buy and energy drink for a kid is beyond me! My husband drinks those nasty red bull's and well, NO THANKS! Oh, they aren't banned in the US, they are quite popular. Not only that, but budweiser has come out with a red bull type beer GAG.

I am not psycho over diet, but I don't give them crap vs real food!