Energy Drinks and Teenagers: A UK Parent's Guide

You find the empty cans in their school bag, or lined up on the bedroom windowsill. Bright colours, big promises, cheaper than a bottle of water at some corner shops. If you have a teenager, there is a good chance energy drinks are already part of their week, and maybe yours too after a bad night with the younger one. In this post I want to give you a calm, practical look at energy drinks and teenagers: what the UK rules are, why health experts are concerned, and what you can offer instead without starting a war at the kitchen table.

Energy drinks and teenagers: what are the UK rules?

Here is where things stand at the time of writing.

• Labels. Drinks (other than tea and coffee) with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre already have to carry a “high caffeine content” warning saying they are not recommended for children.
• Shops. Many of the big UK supermarkets have voluntarily refused to sell high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s for several years. Smaller shops and some online sellers have not always followed suit.
• The new ban. In July 2026 the government confirmed it will make it illegal to sell high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s in England, covering shops, vending machines and websites. According to the Department of Health and Social Care announcement, it is intended to take effect in April 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval.

So for now, a 14-year-old can still often buy them. The law is catching up, but the conversation at home matters more than any till prompt.

Why are experts worried?

The government announcement links regular high-caffeine energy drinks in children to anxiety, poor sleep, trouble concentrating, tooth decay and a higher risk of high blood pressure. It also estimates that around 100,000 children in England drink them every day.

From what I see as a coach, the sleep side is the big one. A teenager who drinks a can at 4pm to get through homework is often still wired at midnight. Then they wake up exhausted, reach for another can, and the loop starts again. Add sugar on top of the caffeine in the full-sugar versions, and you get energy spikes followed by crashes.

If your teenager is having palpitations, chest pain, ongoing anxiety, headaches or serious sleep problems, please speak to your GP rather than trying to manage it alone.

How to read the can

Teach your teen to check the label themselves. It builds the habit for life.

1. Find the caffeine figure. It is usually listed per 100ml. Multiply by the can size. A large can can carry as much caffeine as a strong coffee, or more.
2. Look for the warning. “High caffeine content. Not recommended for children” is not marketing. It is there by law.
3. Check the sugar. Full-sugar versions can contain more sugar in one can than an adult’s recommended daily maximum of free sugar.
4. Notice the “sugar-free” trap. Sugar-free versions still contain the same caffeine.

Talking to your teen without a lecture

Banning things outright tends to make them more attractive. A few approaches that tend to land better:

• Ask why they drink them. Tired? Taste? Everyone else does? Gaming late? The answer tells you what to fix.
• Link it to what they care about. Sport, skin, exam results, mood, sleep, being good at their game. Caffeine overload hits all of these.
• Agree a cut-off time rather than a total ban to start with. No caffeine after lunch is a reasonable first step.
• Look at your own habits. If you are on your fourth coffee by 3pm, they notice. Cutting back together works better than “do as I say”.

Better alternatives that actually help energy

Energy drinks are popular because teenagers are genuinely tired. So the swap has to deal with the tiredness, not just the drink.

Drinks

• Cold water with a squeeze of lemon or lime, in a good bottle they actually like
• Sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice for fizz and flavour
• Milk or a homemade milkshake with banana after sport
• Decaf iced tea, if they like the “coffee shop” feel

The NHS guide to water, drinks and your health is a good, neutral read for the whole family.

Real energy fixes

• Breakfast with protein. Eggs on toast, yoghurt with oats, or peanut butter on a bagel beats a can on the way to school.
• A proper after-school snack. Fruit and cheese, a sandwich, or a bowl of cereal with milk stops the 4pm slump.
• Phones out of the bedroom at a set time, so sleep is not cut short.
• Movement. This is the one people forget. Getting outside, playing sport or training lifts energy and mood and helps them sleep better.

My post on workouts for parents and teens has short sessions you can do together, and exercise for teenagers covers how much activity they need and how to make it stick.

What about your own afternoon slump?

Plenty of parents reading this rely on caffeine too. That is understandable when sleep is broken. But if you are reaching for energy drinks yourself, the same advice applies: protein, water, daylight and movement. My SYP Recharge energy and focus class is designed for exactly that feeling of being tired but wired. You leave feeling awake, not flattened.

FAQs

At what age can you buy energy drinks in the UK?

Right now there is no legal minimum age in England, though many large supermarkets will not sell them to under-16s. The government plans to make sales to under-16s illegal in England from April 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval.

Is one energy drink a day bad for a teenager?

The label itself says high-caffeine drinks are not recommended for children. Even one can a day can affect sleep, especially if it is drunk in the afternoon or evening. If you are worried about your teen’s health, speak to your GP.

Are sugar-free energy drinks better?

They cut the sugar, which is better for teeth, but they still contain the same high caffeine levels. The sleep and anxiety concerns remain.

What can my teen drink instead for energy before sport?

Water, and a snack with some carbohydrate an hour or two before, like a banana, toast or a cereal bar. Good sleep the night before matters more than any drink.

Book your first class

The best way to model healthy energy for your kids is to look after your own. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in a church hall in Archway N19, with a maximum of 10 people and options for every fitness level, at £15 a class. Book your £15 class here, or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 and I will send the timetable. If you are curious about one-to-one coaching later, you can read how personal training with me works.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.