Caffeine Affects Boys More

Author: Alexander Bruni Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

While there are no significant differences in the effect of caffeine on gender among children, they do occur in teenagers.

Caffeine affects boys more than girls. However, this is true when they reach puberty , according to a new study published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics .

The study's author, Jennifer Temple of the University at Buffalo School of Public Health, noticed a similar trend a few years earlier while studying children's diets. She is surprised by the amount of fizzy drinks or coffee they consume. The team decided to study the effect of caffeine on the developing organism.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 73% of children consume some type of caffeine daily. The Medicines and Food Administration has not set standards for the amount that is considered safe for children.

Caffeine has no nutritional value. Although it is a psychoactive stimulant that can improve alertness and mood , it can also be addictive to some extent. When taken in large doses, it can cause nervousness , tension and insomnia. It can also raise blood pressure levels and lower heart rate, regardless of age.

For the purpose of the study, 95 children took part. Researchers give them three different drinks - orange juice, a lemon-flavored soda and a type of lemonade that contains either placebo or caffeine . Neither the children nor their parents know which of the drinks contains caffeine.

After consumption, the researchers measured the blood pressure levels as well as the heart rate of the participants. They found no difference in the way caffeine affected the younger ones, aged 8 and 9.

However, there is a difference in the results of the larger participants. Boys between the ages of 15 and 17 respond more quickly to the effects of caffeine than girls. In boys, the heart rate decreases to a greater extent and systolic blood pressure levels increase more than in girls.

Caffeine Affects Boys More

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