QuickChick wrote:Oh come on. We're not telling the kid to smoke crack. Caffeine is the wonder drug if used in moderation. I do think it's probably a good idea to tell teenagers not to drink caffeine in general, as teenagers tend to overdo things and have them too much. We all know that a cup of coffee every day as an adult is a pretty normal thing to do. It's when adults drink coffee all day every day that there's an issue. If you drink coffee every day as a teenager, that might not be the best idea (could lead to drinking a lot more coffee as an adult). However, a coffee once in awhile isn't the end of the world and would probably give him a huge boost before a race (esp if he doesn't have it often).
Yes energy drinks are bad for you, and I would never make a habit of drinking them. It's probably good that ROW is not allowed to have them if there is a chance he could develop a habit of having them regularly. I don't drink pop often at all, and really I don't think energy drinks are that much different than Coke or Mountain Dew or whatever. HOWEVER, while I don't think they should be consumed regularly, I don't think there's a problem with drinking one a month or however often you need it before a race. They do really perk me up, and I get a better boost from them anyway if they're not something I have often. It's the people who drink them every day, and the people who drink them but then don't do anything that requires the "energy", who are really the problem. Those drinks are full of sugar and calories.
Caffeine pills... I don't think he was seriously considering those at all. I would never advocate taking caffeine pills- that's a bit different than a cup of coffee before a race IMO.
+1
I advised him coffee didn't work, that energy drinks were bad, and mentioned caffeine pills. However, I said "If he must use caffeine....", which means I don't think a young man of his age should be depending on this. However, I am not going to force my opinion on him. He's 15, not 5.
BTW...a Starbucks coffee has more caffeine than a caffeine tablet....just sayin.