Caffeine pouches, similar to tobacco products like Zyns and Rogues, are becoming a growing concern among families in the U.S. due to their high caffeine content and lack of federal oversight.
"The caffeine pouches are really rapidly absorbed, and so what can happen is your heart rate can go up pretty darn fast, and that can cause heart arrhythmias," Dr. Stephen Turkovich, president of Oishei Children’s Hospital, said.
These pouches contain anywhere from 25 milligrams to 200 milligrams of caffeine. According to the National Library of Medicine, excessive caffeine in adolescents can cause nervousness, irritability, nausea, cardiovascular symptoms, sleep impairment, osteoporosis, and gastric ulcers.
WATCH: Caffeine pouch use among young people raises health concerns
"Anything that's unregulated supplements, things like that, it's very dangerous," Dr. Turkovich said. "You don't know what you're actually eating."
The products are easily accessible to teens, available for purchase on Amazon, TikTok, and even at gas stations, with no federal oversight regulating their sale or consumption.
Willie Eggleston, the assistant director of the Upstate New York Poison Center, advises parents to discuss these products with their children.
"I think the most important thing for teenagers to know is that it's one of those things we wanna make sure we use in moderation," Eggleston said.
He also emphasized the importance of checking product labels to monitor caffeine intake.
"I'm reassured by these pouches that they're in individual dose sizes," Eggleston said. "I think it will hopefully help teens to realize, you know, what is a safe dose and reduce those risks of them accidentally taking too much."
"We encourage folks to read the labels, read the instructions, and to always use low doses before you know how they affect you," Eggleston said.
While caffeine pouches are marketed as a way to stay focused and boost energy, Dr. Turkovich recommends parents ensure their teens aren't overusing them.
"I think the best thing is to educate teens and help them understand the real significant dangers associated with these, from hydration perspective, really encourage water or Gatorade and make sure that they're looking at the amount of caffeine in everything they're doing," Dr. Turkovich said.
This article was written by Jaurdyn Johnson for the Scripps News Group in Buffalo.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
