Most would say, breastfeeding moms can’t have energy drinks. But what if I can convince you that they actually can?
This article uncovers what’s in energy drinks and what is suitable and appropriate for breastfeeding moms to enjoy without compromising the baby’s or mummy’s health.
The main reason why breastfeeding moms are not “allowed” to drink energy drinks is because of caffeine.
Whatever the moms consume indirectly gets consumed by the babies too. This is why certain food and drinks are a complete no-no for breastfeeding moms, like “gassy foods” and certain medications.
But, by exercising caution, and being mindful, breastfeeding moms can still enjoy their favourite energy drinks.
Find out more by reading this article.
Main Components of Energy Drinks
Caffeine
Energy drinks are packed with up to 300mg of caffeine per standard can.
The recommended daily caffeine dosage for an adult is 400mg according to FDA. You should keep your caffeine consumption in moderation to avoid adverse effects.
My preference is between 50 to 100mg of caffeine per standard serving. With this, I can keep going all day without the jitters and headaches.
According to this, consuming up to 200mg of caffeine is considered safe while breastfeeding.
Check out my post on caffeine overdosing for more details!
Sugar
Energy drinks also provide you with energy from sugar, which is why sugar is the second main ingredient in many of them.
Sugar, however, isn’t healthy and you should reduce your sugar intake to avoid adverse effects.
More energy drinks nowadays have little to no sugar in them.
Sugar-free energy drinks used artificial sweeteners like acesulfame potassium and sucralose which are both low-calorie sweeteners.
Artificial sweeteners are approved by the FDA for use in food and beverages like energy drinks. Still, you should limit your intake of food and drinks containing artificial sweeteners to avoid side effects.
B Vitamins
The common B vitamins present in energy drinks are usually:
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – Riboflavin helps with the process of breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, and also in maintaining our body’s energy storage. It also helps to convert carbohydrates into energy for our body’s needs.
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin or Niacinamide) – is important for the process of production and repairing the DNA cells of our body. It’s also an antioxidant that protects your body cells from harmful substances.
- Vitamin B12 – B12 helps maintain healthy blood and nerve cells.
Taurine
Taurine is usually manufactured synthetically in a lab and actually has many health benefits. Taurine can help lower your risk of disease and improve your athletic performance.
It’s also needed by your body to regulate the antioxidant function and support the overall function of your central nervous system.
For a list of energy drinks with taurine, check out this article!
Does caffeine decrease milk supply?
Caffeine does not decrease milk supply.
In fact, a study suggests that caffeine can stimulate milk production.
If your baby is sensitive to caffeine, you should stop taking caffeine right away.
On a side note:
Caffeine may not affect milk production but as a mum, you should take into consideration how it’s going to affect your sleep. You need plenty of rest in complement to a healthy diet.
That said, do not have anything caffeinated close to your bedtime.
How much caffeine can I drink while breastfeeding?
You can consume up to 300mg of caffeine while breastfeeding.
Bear in mind, the recommended maximum intake is 400mg of caffeine per day for healthy individuals.
That said, you can drink up to three cups of coffee or around three cans of Red Bull. (Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine.)
I have created this table to show the maximum limit for caffeine intake as suggested by the FDA.
| Age | Recommended Daily Amount |
| Kids | 60-80 mg |
| Teenagers | 100 mg |
| 18 and above | 400 mg |
How long does caffeine stay in your system?
In adults, caffeine stays in our system for 3-7 hours. However, in babies, caffeine can stay in their system for 65-130 hours due to their not fully developed liver and kidneys.
This is why even the tiniest amount of caffeine that passes through breast milk can build up in babies over a prolonged time causing a range of potential issues.
How long after drinking caffeine can I breastfeed again?
The body tends to metabolise most of the caffeine in a food or drink items before it reaches the baby, thus the baby won’t be affected much.
Caffeine levels in breast milk peak at 1-2 hours after consuming coffee, tea, or energy drinks. So it’s safe to drink caffeine at least a few hours before you breastfeed your child.
Other than that, only about 1% of the caffeine a woman consumes gets into her breast milk, and this tiny amount is not enough to harm most infants.
Do energy drinks affect breast milk?
Energy drinks do not directly affect breast milk.
However, some ingredients in energy drinks such as caffeine are not suitable for babies and might cause toxicity to a certain level.
If you are a mum, you should be careful around energy drinks and should always consider your baby’s health.
How long after breastfeeding can you drink energy drinks again?
When you stop breastfeeding for good, you can immediately consume energy drinks.
As a fair warning, you should go easy with energy drinks. Start with something that has low caffeine like REIZE as you’re just building up tolerance.
It would be wise to choose an energy drink that has a moderate amount of caffeine and little to no sugar, which is also a good choice health-wise.
Are there long-term effects of drinking energy drinks?
There are side effects of long-term energy drink consumption such as being prone to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
That said, you shouldn’t make drinking energy drinks a habit. You can still have it once in a while when you’re desperate for an energy boost.
When breastfeeding, in my opinion, it is safer to stay away from energy drinks. Go for smoothies instead for your energy-boosting needs.
I have written about drinking an energy drink every day and how it affects your overall health. Check it out!
How to Choose Energy Drinks While Breastfeeding
Here are some things to consider when choosing energy drinks while breastfeeding:
Choosing the healthier choice
Be on the lookout for energy drinks that have zero sugar and less caffeine.
As a mother with a newborn, you will most likely need all the energy you can get. Choose an energy drink that provides a gentle energy boost with less caffeine and zero sugar.
My top recommendations would be:
Also, monitor yourself and your baby for any adverse effects. You should stop drinking energy drinks when you notice any side effects.
Once again, after giving birth, getting back in shape might be number one on your list of priorities, which means cutting calories. I would like to let you know that there are plenty of energy drinks on the market with very low or zero calories!
Check out this post on the healthiest options for energy drinks.
Choosing affordable energy drinks
Your budget might be tight around the house now you’ve got a baby, but you can definitely still squeeze in a few energy drinks here and there.
If you’re serious about getting the best bang for your buck, I suggest you take a look at my complete guide to energy drinks which covers where to find the best value deals.
REIZE Energy Drink (10 out of 10)
Based on the hefty discussion above, I think I have the perfect energy drink for you. It’s definitely my favourite and I hope it’ll be yours soon too.
If you’re looking for something that tastes absolutely amazing and contains a sensible amount of caffeine, zero sugar and is low in calories – REIZE might be the energy drink for you.
REIZE contains a very reasonable 50mg of caffeine per serve. It’s also very convenient for two reasons:
- it ships right to your door, and
- you can mix it with almost any drink that you like (water is my preferred choice)
Not to mention, REIZE ships right to your door for about $1 per drink. Now, that’s AMAZING value, right?
Give REIZE a try today and you might just find that it quickly becomes your go-to daily energy drink.
Just to reiterate:
Although studies and science suggest that it’s perfectly safe to drink caffeine (and therefore energy drinks) in moderation while pregnant or nursing, I recommend that you skip caffeine completely, or at least greatly reduce your consumption until after your baby has stopped breastfeeding. That’s definitely the safest course of action.