There is an old notion that caffeine "stunts your growth" or otherwise affects human growth, but there is little or no evidence to support the claim. While caffeine does have several side effects, impairing human growth does not appear to be one of them. Moderate caffeine intake seems to be safe for most people, but if you're concerned about the unknown effects of the drug, you can limit your intake or eliminate it from your diet without experiencing negative consequences.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant found naturally in foods such as chocolate, tea and coffee, as well as in soft drinks and some other foods and medications. Caffeine's well-known effects are to increase your sense of alertness and energy, and ingesting moderate amounts of it is generally safe. A moderate amount of caffeine, about 200 to 300 mg, is equal to two to four cups of brewed coffee per day, according to Mayo Clinic.com.
Caffeine and Growth
There appears to be no scientific research that supports the notion that caffeine stunts your growth or otherwise affects your growth in any way. According to The Straight Dope website, caffeine is a diuretic that causes your bones to lose small amounts of calcium. However, this calcium loss is generally balanced out by calcium intake or is otherwise too small to affect human growth. Early studies that linked caffeine with osteoporosis focused on people with low calcium intake and the caffeine consumption is not believed to be causally related to the development of osteoporosis.
Caffeine While Pregnat
There is, however, some evidence to show that pregnant women may want to decrease the amount of caffeine they ingest or even eliminate it completely from their diets. A 200 study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" showed that women who drank six or more cups of coffee, or the equivalent of 50 mg of caffeine, had double the risk of miscarriage than those who did not. Further, the Food and Drug Administration commissioned a study in 1980 that showed pregnant rats that ate caffeine had offspring with higher rates of birth defects and delayed skeletal growth.
Caffeine Amounts
Moderate amounts of caffeine are generally safe to consume, but research shows that ingesting high amounts of caffeine can lead to problems. More than about 500 or 600 mg of caffeine can lead to negative side effects such as headaches, irritability and even heart arrythmias, or irregular heart beats. If you experience these symptoms, you may want to reduce your caffeine intake.
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