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Expert Q&A
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| By John Dorsey, M.D. Pediatrician | ||
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I think my 16-year-old is addicted to caffeine. She drinks green tea every morning before school, and she has another cup while she is doing her homework. I am buying green tea bags constantly. When we went to my mother's for the weekend, she didn't have the green tea, and she complained of headaches and nausea almost constantly. Could this be a sign of caffeine addiction? She seemed to be fine once she returned home to the green tea.
Caffeine addiction is a real problem among American adults and American children. The side effects are exactly as you describe and the only relief on the short term is more caffeine. It's not uncommon to have a college youngster drink a half-liter to a liter of caffeine drinks before starting class. She feels fine because she's treating her addiction with caffeine. Once seen as an addiction, it may require professional help, especially if it interferes with normal daily routines with symptoms such as chronic fatigue.
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