Everyone has the idea that caffeine is a wonderful ingredient that helps to give you the boost of energy that you need to get through the day. Although this may be true, caffeine also comes with an array of side effects to take into consideration. Teenagers find caffeine to be trendy, whether it’s through the consumption of soft drinks or actual cups of coffee. But it is important to remember that it may not be the best component of their daily diet in terms of suppressing their appetite and limiting their mental acuity.

Compensating for Sleep

One of the main reasons why teens enjoy a nice caffeinated beverage is to counteract the effects of not getting enough sleep. This is an unhealthy pattern as they assume they can stay up as long as they want at night because they’ll have caffeine ready for them in the morning. The less sleep that teenagers get can lead to a wide variety of illnesses ranging from reducing the strength of their immune system to developing sleep disorders at a young age.

Suppressing Appetite

Have you ever enjoyed your afternoon cup of coffee only to realize that you’re not as hungry as you thought you were? This is because caffeine is a strong appetite suppressant that makes your body believe that you’re full, even if you haven’t had much to eat that day. Teenagers need to consistently consume healthy foods in order to ensure their proper development, but the more caffeine that they consume results in less food that they ingest. It takes approximately 15 minutes for caffeine to enter your bloodstream and begin suppressing your appetite.

Addiction to Caffeine

Although you might not look at caffeine as a drug, it is a type of stimulant that is quite addicting under the right circumstances. In fact, many adults find that they simply cannot operate throughout the day without their morning cup of coffee. An addiction to caffeine not only puts teens in a position where they rely on soda and coffee to get through the day, but it also puts them at risk for withdrawal symptoms. Once you have established an addiction, deciding to skip caffeine for a single day can lead to headaches, fatigue, and pain in your muscles.

Teenagers should be trying to avoid caffeine at all costs until their body has appropriately developed. Being addicted to a stimulant can negatively affect their physical and mental health over time.