{"id":34268,"date":"2025-08-03T02:15:52","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T02:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/why-are-teens-trying-them\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T02:15:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T02:15:52","slug":"why-are-teens-trying-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/why-are-teens-trying-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are teens trying them?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Michelle Roberts<\/span><\/p>\n

Digital health editor, BBC News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A growing number of US teenagers are using caffeine pouches to get an energy rush, say experts who worry the trend could soon take off in the UK. <\/p>\n

The small teabag-like pouches, placed between the lip and gum, deliver a quick caffeine hit, straight to the bloodstream. <\/p>\n

Some social media influencers are pushing products, recommending them to gym-goers for performance or to students who want to be alert for exams. <\/p>\n

TikTok Shop sells lots of brands and flavours that could appeal to young people, says Dr Rob van Dam from George Washington University.<\/p>\n

But with a single pouch containing as much caffeine as two cups of regular coffee, it could be easy to take too much and get bad side effects, he says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There is already growing concern in the UK about young people using nicotine pouches or snus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Caffeine pouches are also discreet – you may not be able to tell if someone has one in their mouth – making it easy to hide from parents and teachers. <\/p>\n

Some fans of the product boast online about “buzzing” from using two pouches at once for an extra big caffeine rush. <\/p>\n

As caffeine is rapidly absorbed, the effects may begin minutes after ingestion and last for a number of hours. Levels can go out of control. <\/p>\n

Dr van Dam told BBC News: “Young people may have less tolerance to caffeine and there’s a chance they could end up in the emergency room if they have too much.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why caffeine and what happens if you have too much?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Caffeine is a stimulant that can make you feel more alert and less sleepy due to its effect on the brain and nervous system. <\/p>\n

Lewis James, from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, says there is good evidence that caffeine can help make exercise feel easier. <\/p>\n

It’s become one of the most regularly used supplements among athletes.<\/p>\n

As you exercise your body produces a chemical called adenosine which makes you feel tired. Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors in your nerves, so your brain perceives less pain and fatigue.<\/p>\n

But it acts on other parts of the body too – including the cardiovascular system – which can be risky.<\/p>\n

High levels can cause a rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures. <\/p>\n

Although rare, there are documented deaths from excess caffeine.<\/p>\n

Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others and can feel nauseous, anxious and irritable, and get headaches even at lower doses. <\/p>\n

Generally, up to 400mg of caffeine a day <\/a>appears to be safe for most healthy adults – that’s around four cups of instant coffee.<\/p>\n

Tea contains a bit less, so five cups a day is usually fine. <\/p>\n

Pregnant women are advised to halve daily intake to 200mg or less. <\/p>\n

Children and teenagers are also more susceptible to the risks and potential for an overdose. <\/p>\n

This is why energy drinks containing over 150mg of caffeine, for example, are already required by EU law to carry labels stating: “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Watch for other drinks or food that contain caffeine<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Dr van Dam says it can be easy to overload. Caffeine is found in many drinks and some foods, so it is important to check how much you are consuming.<\/p>\n

“While it’s harder to overdose on coffee, with these products it’s easier, especially if young people are using energy drinks too.”<\/p>\n

He says some products, when you check them in the laboratory, contain more caffeine than they claim on the labelling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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