Carrying a baby is a miraculous thing, yet can be quite exhausting for the mom too. Even so, pregnant moms can’t be sitting around for 9 months.
Some are still working and have many tasks to complete in a day!
Usually, that’s when the elixir (a cup of coffee or can of energy drink) comes in handy; however, now that you’re carrying a child, the question of how to get your energy boost safely arises.
You might be wondering, is it safe to drink energy drinks while you’re pregnant?
It’s best to avoid caffeine in general while you are pregnant. Caffeine can hinder the healthy development of the fetus by constricting the blood supply and result in low birth weight, birth defects like hernias and gastroschisis, and even miscarriage in extreme cases.
Disclaimer: most energy drink companies have strict warnings against pregnant ladies and breastfeeding moms consuming energy drinks, so do take precautions and consult your doctor before drinking any energy drinks while pregnant.
Here’s a video on how to fight pregnancy fatigue which you might find helpful.
Energy Drink Ingredients
Caffeine
Caffeine is the main ingredient in energy drinks that contributes to their energy-boosting properties.
According to research, caffeine is beneficial not only in keeping you awake and improving physical endurance but also in stimulating your brain functions for better alertness and mental capacity.
However, it’s important to note that everyone’s body processes caffeine differently.
You might have a higher caffeine tolerance, allowing you to manage higher doses without getting side effects like jitters, anxiousness, or a headache, but this doesn’t apply to everyone.
If you’re pregnant, you’ll need to watch your caffeine intake even more. Even if you are normally able to tolerate caffeine better, it doesn’t mean you can drink caffeinated drinks excessively during pregnancy.
Studies have shown that the acceptable range of caffeine intake if you’re pregnant, is 150 – 300mg/day.
However, more recent research suggests that no amount of caffeine is safe during pregnancy.
In my opinion, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Skip that caffeinated drink while you’re pregnant for your baby’s health.
Sugar
Some energy drinks are heavily loaded with sugar while others are sugar-free.
As sugar is generally considered unhealthy, excess consumption of sugar should be avoided even more when you’re pregnant.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends healthy adult females consume no more than 25g of sugar per day.
Usually, you might think that pregnancy is a time when you can eat all you want and not worry about health effects or weight gain.
However, according to health sites, it’s suggested that pregnant moms shouldn’t consume too much sugar as it could lead to excess weight gain and even gestational diabetes.
Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, are safe for pregnant women, but should still be consumed in moderation as well.
Other ingredients
Other than caffeine and sugar, energy drinks contain many other extra ingredients, which might not be agreeable with you if you’re pregnant.
For instance, guarana is an added natural caffeine substance used in many energy drinks. What most energy drink nutrition labels don’t tell you is that 1g of guarana is equivalent to a staggering 40mg of caffeine.
In addition, that amount of caffeine from guarana is usually not accounted for in the overall caffeine content stated by the manufacturer either.
Other than that, ingredients like taurine and BCAAs are supposed to help with muscle fatigue, and are beneficial for those who’re physically active, but might not be suitable for pregnant women.
On the contrary, B vitamins that are commonly present in most energy drinks can be beneficial for you and your baby as B vitamins are also prenatal vitamins.
As mentioned above, energy drinks contain various ingredients. Therefore, it would be wise to check the ingredients list thoroughly before drinking an energy drink during your pregnancy.
Is it OK to consume caffeine when pregnant?
Previously, according to the American Pregnancy Association, it has been found that a moderate intake of caffeine (150 – 300mg of caffeine) is okay for pregnant women.
However, more recent research in 2020 has found that no amount of caffeine consumption during pregnancy is considered safe and it should be avoided instead.
Caffeine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure—both of which should be avoided during pregnancy.
Besides that, caffeine is also a diuretic which means you might experience dehydration if you consume too much caffeine.
Also, exposure to caffeine’s stimulation effect can be felt by the baby in utero, as caffeine gets absorbed into the placenta and enters the baby’s bloodstream, which can lead to cardiometabolic defects.
In short, consumption of caffeine may not cause any immediate effect on your health if consumed in small amounts while you’re pregnant, but the safest amount of caffeine to consume when pregnant is still none at all.
Does caffeine cause miscarriage?
Caffeine doesn’t primarily cause miscarriage but it can pose a threat. Consumption of caffeine during the sensitive window of pregnancy may cause epigenetic (non-genetic) changes to occur in your baby.
Consuming more than 200mg of caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage, but miscarriages can also occur due to many other factors.
If you feel uncomfortable about drinking caffeine, you should quit entirely during the duration of your pregnancy.
You and your baby’s health should have the utmost importance after all.
Is it safe to drink energy drinks during pregnancy?
As I’ve previously established that no amount of caffeine is safe to be consumed during pregnancy, I wouldn’t recommend the consumption of any caffeinated beverages when you’re pregnant if avoidable.
On top of that, in energy drinks, there are other added ingredients that can potentially be harmful to you and your baby as well.
Even then, if you would still like to drink energy drinks while you’re pregnant, make sure to pay attention to the ingredients list, and choose one that has a moderate amount of caffeine and sugar.
Can I have a miscarriage by drinking energy drinks?
Miscarriages don’t necessarily happen due to energy drinks. However, energy drinks can be a contributing risk factor, especially when consumed in excess. Therefore, strong energy drinks should be avoided altogether.
In relation to the risk of miscarriage, consumption of energy drinks with less than 200mg of caffeine shouldn’t pose much of risk according to most studies. However, I should mention again, the latest science tells us that no amount of caffeine is safe while pregnant.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has stated that high caffeine content is not the major contributing factor to miscarriages.
With that said, you should still consult your doctor in regards to drinking energy drinks while pregnant.
How to boost energy when pregnant?
Now that you’ve understood why you shouldn’t be dependent on caffeine as your energy booster, you’ll then need to find another source of energy, the simplest and most accessible one being healthy and nutritious food.
When pregnant, it’s understandable that you’re in a constant state of fatigue, and might not even be getting a good night’s rest.
On top of that, you might even have daily tasks to complete which is bound to leave you drained.
Good news, moms – you’re allowed an extra 300 calories a day when pregnant! Here’s a free weight gain pass, in order for you to gather energy for yourself and your little one.
To gain natural energy just through eating right, you should eat proteins, complex carbs, and of course, your fruits and vegetables.
Can you drink Red Bull while pregnant?
Generally, drinking energy drinks when pregnant is not recommended due to their caffeine content. However, if you absolutely must, Red Bull is still a viable energy drink to choose if your doctor says it’s okay for you.
An 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine, which is a pretty moderate amount of caffeine and holds minimal risk for pregnant mothers.
In fact, Red Bull themselves have said that pregnant women can drink Red Bull albeit with a 200mg caffeine limit.
That’s pretty amazing that they’ve said that in my opinion.
However, a can of Red Bull also contains 27g of sugar and 110 calories. Those numbers are not healthy for you regardless of whether you’re pregnant or not.
Hence, you might want to reconsider drinking Red Bull and opt for other healthier energy drinks instead.
What energy drinks are safe during pregnancy?
Due to the fact that all energy drinks contain caffeine and that no amount of caffeine is safe while pregnant, you shouldn’t ever drink energy drinks if you’re pregnant.
But if you really insist…
You should pay close attention to the ingredients list if you’re going to drink energy drinks during pregnancy. To be on the safe side, choose those with less than 100mg of caffeine.
Even so, it’s still recommended to not consume any at all when you’re pregnant.
Also, look out for energy drinks with little or zero sugar and calories for your general health, and pay attention to the extra ingredients as well.
If you come across something foreign on the list of ingredients, you might want to skip that brand until further research has been done on it.
Energy drinks and breastfeeding
After you’ve delivered your baby, you might be breastfeeding your child and I’m sure you also have your doubts about whether you can consume energy drinks while breastfeeding.
Unlike pregnancy, consumption of energy drinks while breastfeeding holds the minimal risk to the baby’s health.
Again the main concern would be the caffeine content.
However, with breastfeeding, it’s much more forgiving than pregnancy because only 1% of the caffeine that the mom consumes goes into her breast milk, which is too small of an amount to “harm” your baby.
For further information on breastfeeding and energy drinks, you can refer to my previous post where I’ve written about it in more detail.
Best energy drinks
Here are some recommended energy drinks that I think could be suitable for you to enjoy after you’ve given birth to your little one.
You should, however, still, consult a doctor and also read the ingredients list in detail before consuming them.
Mountain Dew Kickstart
Mountain Dew Kickstart has 92mg of caffeine, 20g of sugar, and 80 calories. If you’re not a fan of the high sugar, there are 2 sugar-free flavors:
- Ultra Energizing Original Dew
- Diet Mountain Dew
It’s also fairly affordable, only costing about $1.50 per 16 fl.oz can.
XS Energy Drink
XS Energy Drink contains 80mg of caffeine, 10 calories, and zero sugar. It seems like a pretty decent amount of caffeine to me.
It also doesn’t contain added guarana, which means no added caffeine content either. XS also has two caffeine-free options, something that you might prefer.
However, XS places itself on the more expensive price point, ranging from around $3 – $4 per can, which I think is a bit much.
You can purchase it directly from the Amway website or on Amazon.
REIZE Energy Drink
REIZE Energy Drink is my all-time favorite energy drink as it has a very sensible amount of caffeine – only 50mg. It’s also sugar-free and only contains 11 calories in total.
REIZE provides you with the perfect energy boost without the crash. With a smart blend of taurine, ginseng and B vitamins, REIZE just might be the perfect energy drink for you after you’ve given birth to your little one.
At only around $1 per drink including shipping right to your door, REIZE is outstanding value for money.
Give REIZE a try and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s the smarter choice.
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine (mg) | Calories | Sugar (g) |
| Mountain Dew Kickstart | 92 | 80 | 20 |
| XS Energy Drink | 80 | 10 | 0 |
| REIZE Energy Drink | 50 | 11 | 0 |