Prime drinks aren’t recommended for babies and pregnant women

Prime drinks have been extensively advertised in Australia and have led to massive sales in supermarkets as well as prohibitions at schools..

Prime has two drinks available which are marketed as an “hydration” drink, the other is marketed as an “energy” drink. The former comes with a warning that that it’s not appropriate for anyone younger than 18, as well as lactating or pregnant women. It’s not sold legally in retail stores in Australia.

Both drinks can cause issues for women and children who are nursing or pregnant.

What’s in Prime Energy?

Prime Energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine in each container, which is equivalent to around two or three coffees in a single cup. The caffeine content is approximately twice the amount legally permitted for the products that are sold in Australia.

Contrary to the name of this drink, Prime Energy drink contains just 40 kilojoules of carbohydrates that are the main fuel sources. Its “energy” in Prime Energy is the caffeine, which causes you to appear more awake and decreases the amount of effort required with any task you undertake.

Caffeine is a stimulant that can offer advantages to performance for those who are over 18 years old. But, due to the large amounts in these drinks, there are better methods to take in the right amount of caffeine.

Read more: Can coffee improve your workout? The science of caffeine and exercise

Caffeine is a concern during pregnancy

Health guidelines suggest restricting consumption of caffeine during breastfeeding and pregnancy to less than 200mg per day.

Theoretically, drinking this drink by itself with its 200mg of caffeine per bottle is sufficient. But in practice, diets incorporate several alternatives to caffeine, including chocolate, tea, coffee, and coca-cola drinks. Consuming these drinks along with energy drinks could boost the consumption of pregnant women who are above this limit.

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What is the reason caffeine can be problematic for infants and fetuses?

Caffeine is able to cross the placenta into the fetus’s bloodstream. Fetuses don’t have the ability to break down caffeine, which is why it stays in their bloodstream.

As the pregnancy progresses, the mother gets less efficient in removing caffeine out of her system. The fetus could be exposed to more caffeine over a period of time.

Research has shown that the consumption of high levels of caffeine can lead to reduction in growth, reduced birth weight, preterm birth, and stillbirth. Certain experts believe that there is no safe limit on the amount of caffeine consumed in pregnancy.

When the breastfeeding process, caffeine passes into the milk of the baby. It stays in the baby’s circulation since they’re not able to process it. Evidence suggests that caffeine can make infants more fussy or irritable and also less likely to fall asleep.

What happens to kids?

Also, children have lesser capacity to digest caffeine. Together with their lower body weight, a caffeine-based drink can be more effective.

So the safe levels of caffeine are determined based on weight: 3mg per kg of body weight per day. For instance, children between 9-13 years old who weigh not more than 40kg, must consume less than 120 mg of caffeine daily. Aged between 14 and 17 years old who are less than the weight of 60kg ought to be consuming no more than 180 mg per day.

Studies have demonstrated that consumption of alcohol can increase the likelihood of having heart problems, including chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and fainting. These could be a sign of an underlying issue with the heart that has, in a few instances, led to teens and children visiting hospital emergency departments.