During a breakfast stop prior to a recent day of skiing, my husband chided our teenage son for requesting coffee, saying that “caffeine stunts your growth.” When challenged both my husband and I were obliged to concede that we did not know if there was any scientific backing for this common parental admonition. So we put it to you, Cecil. Does caffeine stunt your growth? –Jane Ebisch, Golden, Colorado
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Nobody claims caffeine is a health food. The world’s most widely used drug, regulated or otherwise, caffeine is a potent stimulant with no nutritional value. It can cause jitters, insomnia, indigestion, and other temporary side effects when consumed in excess and is almost certainly mildly addictive, as Starbucks patrons lining up for their daily hit will attest. Whether it can do more serious harm, though, has yet to be conclusively established. On the subject of caffeine and growth, the most relevant areas of concern are the following:
(2) Caffeine and calcium. Caffeine is a diuretic and causes calcium to be leached out of bones and excreted. However, the reviews of the medical literature I’ve seen indicate that the effect is slight and can be readily compensated for with diet. Because caffeine has been implicated as a contributor to osteoporosis in the elderly and other vulnerable populations, though, plenty of folks are worried that the substitution of caffeinated soft drinks for milk during childhood (when the need for calcium is great) might lead to developmental problems.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): illustration/Slug Signorino.
