This clinical report reviews adverse effects of high‑caffeine energy drinks in youth, focusing on cardiovascular, neurologic, and behavioral harms. It notes that energy drinks "frequently contain high and unregulated amounts of caffeine" and are associated with serious adverse effects in children and adolescents, but it does not identify impaired linear growth or reduced adult height as a documented effect. The report concludes that energy drinks are inappropriate for children and adolescents because of safety concerns, not because of evidence that they stunt height growth.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that "avoiding caffeine is the best choice for all kids" and that a child's growing body and brain are more sensitive to caffeine's stimulation. The article explains that caffeine "can get in the way of other nutrients that help kids grow" because children may eat fewer nutrient‑rich foods after filling up on caffeinated sodas, energy drinks, and processed foods, but it does not claim that caffeine or coffee directly stunts height growth. The concern is primarily about poor diet, sleep disruption, and other health effects rather than a demonstrated direct reduction in growth in height.

The article states: "There is no scientifically valid evidence to suggest that coffee can stunt a person's growth." It explains that height "is largely determined by the height of your parents and the quality of your diet and overall health while growing." It adds: "Whether or not coffee turns out to have significant health benefits, this popular beverage doesn't stunt your growth."

The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that there is no proven safe dose of caffeine for children and discourages caffeine use, but its guidance focuses on potential effects on sleep, behavior, and cardiovascular function rather than on stunted growth. The AAP does not list impaired linear growth or reduced adult height as a documented consequence of caffeine or coffee consumption.

The study followed white teenage females from ages 12 to 18 and states: "There were no significant differences among the three caffeine intake groups for total body bone mineral gain during the ages 12 to 18 or of hip bone density at age 18." It further concludes: "These findings indicate that dietary caffeine intake at levels presently consumed by American white, teenage women is not correlated with adolescent total bone mineral gain or hip bone density at age 18." This directly addresses concerns that usual caffeine intake during adolescence might impair bone accrual relevant to growth.

Pediatric endocrinologist Roy Kim, MD, is quoted: "The answer to this one is simple: Caffeine doesn’t impact growth." The article emphasizes that "there isn’t any scientific medical evidence that coffee, in particular, or caffeine, in general, stunts growth" and reiterates that "Caffeine does not meaningfully impact how tall a child gets." It notes that in clinical practice for growth disorders, "caffeine is never a factor."

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children and adolescents "should avoid energy drinks" and that "caffeine and other stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents." While the document does not claim that caffeine directly stunts growth, it emphasizes potential adverse effects on sleep, behavior and cardiovascular health and advises that overall caffeine intake be limited in youth, which may indirectly support healthy growth and development.

This 2020 review states that "The results obtained showed that caffeine consumption hampers children's growth and development." It notes literature showing "alterations in children’s growth and development, such as iron absorption deficiencies and weight loss" associated with caffeine. However, it also clarifies that negative effects include changes in the sleep cycle, which could "indirectly alter the weight and growth of children," and reports that no organic changes were found at low doses. The authors conclude that caffeine intake in minors could lead to severe health consequences, especially in high doses or combined with other substances like taurine in energy drinks.

WebMD reports: "Evidence proving that caffeine in coffee directly stunts the growth of children, teenagers, or young adults has been insufficient." It says that while nutrition and other lifestyle factors can affect height, "there's no evidence that caffeinated drinks like coffee will stunt your growth." The article suggests that any apparent links are more likely related to "sleep deprivation" from caffeine rather than coffee itself.

This review of caffeine use in children summarizes that caffeine can cause sleep disturbances, nervousness, and changes in appetite and that these factors may affect growth and development indirectly. It reports that there is insufficient evidence that typical dietary caffeine directly reduces linear growth in otherwise healthy children but highlights concerns about high intakes from sources such as soft drinks and energy drinks displacing nutrient-dense foods.

McGill University writes: "There is no evidence that caffeine consumption can directly stunt growth." The article repeats pediatric endocrinologist Roy Kim’s statement that "Caffeine does not meaningfully impact how tall a child gets." It notes that although coffee might suppress appetite, "a tie between that and hindered growth has never been proven" and concludes that there is "very minimal evidence" to support the old belief that coffee stunts growth.

In this prospective cohort study, the authors report that higher maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy was associated with "slightly lower birth weight" and modest differences in child size. They note that children of women with high caffeine intake were on average somewhat shorter and lighter than those with low intake, though differences were small. The study concerns prenatal exposure and early growth, not coffee drinking by the child, but it is often cited regarding caffeine and growth outcomes.

GoodRx quotes clinician Chaye McIntosh: "There is no concrete evidence to support the fact that coffee stunts growth in adolescents." It explains that while some research links caffeine with affecting calcium absorption, "this effect" can be offset by taking "1 to 2 tbsp of milk" and that the "lack of scientific evidence that links coffee to growth stunting leads experts to believe that there is not a relationship between the two." The article says children should not regularly consume coffee, but not because it will stunt growth, citing potential effects on sleep and the nervous and cardiovascular systems instead.

AACAP notes that "there is no proven safe dose of caffeine for children" and that product regulations are based on older practices. It summarizes pediatric advice: routine caffeine use is discouraged for children under 12 and energy drinks are discouraged for all children and teens, and caffeine for ages 12–18 should be limited to at most 100 mg daily. The fact sheet lists concerns such as sleep problems, anxiety, irritability, and cardiovascular effects, but it does not cite evidence that caffeine or coffee reduces height growth, suggesting that growth stunting is not among the documented primary risks emphasized by pediatric experts.

Rupa Health notes that the idea that coffee can stunt growth is "often considered a myth because scientific studies don't support specific evidence that coffee or caffeine directly stunts growth." It states: "While there’s no proof that coffee stunts growth in children, caffeine may indirectly affect growth by hindering sleep and nutrition, and caffeine intake during pregnancy could contribute to lower birth weights." A review cited in the piece found that high caffeine intake may interfere with calcium absorption and could affect growth in children consuming less than 300 mg of calcium per day, and that children who drink coffee instead of calcium-rich foods may risk deficiency.

Medical News Today states: "there is no strong evidence that coffee can stunt growth." It explains that many people believe coffee may hinder bone growth, but "there is currently no strong evidence to support this." Regarding mechanisms, it notes: "Caffeine can slightly reduce the body's absorption of calcium" but adds: "the reduction in calcium absorption that caffeine causes is so small that a person can typically offset it by adding milk to their coffee" and "There is no evidence to suggest that caffeine is detrimental to bone health if a person consumes enough calcium." It reiterates: "there is currently no strong scientific evidence to suggest that coffee can stunt growth."

In a prospective study summarized by later reviews, researchers followed 81 boys and girls aged 12–14 for two years to examine caffeine intake and bone mineral density. The study reported no association between caffeine consumption and decreased bone mass or impaired growth, finding no evidence that caffeine intake affected growth or bone density in these children.

This longitudinal study of 81 girls aged 12–18 years examined caffeine intake, bone mass, and growth. The authors concluded that caffeine intake "had no impact on either the girls' bone mass or height" over the study period, indicating that moderate caffeine consumption during adolescence did not impair bone acquisition or stature.

Addressing the question "whether caffeine stunts growth," this pediatric practice states: "Current evidence does not demonstrate a direct effect on height." It notes that caffeine may influence growth *indirectly*: appetite suppression can reduce caloric and nutrient intake, and sleep disruption can interfere with growth hormone secretion, which occurs mainly during deep sleep. The article recommends avoiding routine caffeine use—especially energy drinks—in children and adolescents because of these indirect risks and cardiovascular concerns, not because of a demonstrated direct reduction in stature.

A study summarized in later overviews examined the impact of caffeine intake on growth and development in children and adolescents. The researchers reported that caffeine consumption was not significantly associated with changes in height, weight, or body mass index, suggesting no measurable effect of caffeine intake on linear growth parameters in this population.

This pediatric resource for teens states clearly: "No, coffee doesn't stunt a person's growth." It continues: "How tall you are mostly depends on your genes. Good nutrition is also important to reach your maximum height potential." The page focuses on other reasons to limit coffee (such as sleep and jitteriness) rather than any direct effect on height.

A pediatric practice article notes that evidence on precise safe amounts is inconclusive but warns: "Caffeine has been shown to interfere with calcium absorption, which is crucial during the teenage years when individuals are building peak bone mass." It states that insufficient calcium absorption "can potentially lead to decreased bone density, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life." However, it frames these as long-term bone health risks rather than directly claiming that caffeine or coffee reduces final height, and advises that teens 12–18 "ideally" not exceed about 100 mg of caffeine per occasion.

This pediatric dentist’s article states that "Energy drinks don't stunt growth, but they have been proven to be dangerous to their health." It cites an American Academy of Pediatrics report concluding that the caffeine and stimulants in energy drinks "have no place" in an adolescent's diet. The discussion focuses on cardiovascular strain, elevated stress, and effects on brain development, reinforcing that professional concern is about health risks and not about evidence that these caffeinated beverages directly reduce height growth.

This overview states: "There is no evidence to support that coffee stunts growth" and that "no credible scientific evidence shows that drinking coffee has any impact on how tall someone becomes." It explains that height is "decided almost entirely by genetics" with some influence from nutrition and health in childhood and adolescence. The article also notes that coffee may disrupt sleep in kids and teens and that sufficient sleep and nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium are important for proper growth.

This evidence review concludes: "No, caffeine does not stunt growth in children and adolescents when consumed at recommended safe levels (<2.5 mg/kg body weight daily)." It highlights a prospective longitudinal study that found "no correlation between dietary caffeine intake and total body bone mineral gain during adolescence (ages 12-18) or hip bone density at age 18" and that caffeine intake groups (<25 mg/day, 25–50 mg/day, >50 mg/day) showed no differences in bone gain. The review notes that typical caffeine consumption in American youth (14–77 mg/day) is not associated with growth impairment, but also cites a systematic review that suggested excessive caffeine "can hamper children's growth and development," while emphasizing that this pertains to high, not moderate, intake.

While not about coffee specifically, the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that adequate sleep is critical for growth, noting that growth hormone is released during deep sleep and that chronic sleep deprivation can impair normal development. The AAP warns that caffeine-containing beverages can interfere with children's and teens' sleep, which is one reason they recommend avoiding energy drinks entirely and limiting caffeine in adolescents. This provides a plausible *indirect* pathway by which high caffeine intake, via sleep disruption, could negatively affect growth, even if caffeine itself does not directly stunt height.

Multiple reviews of caffeine and bone health report that caffeine increases urinary calcium excretion slightly (on the order of a few milligrams per cup of coffee), but that this effect is easily offset by normal dietary calcium intake and has not been shown to reduce final adult height. Concerns about osteoporosis in adults with very high caffeine intake do not translate into evidence that coffee consumption in childhood or adolescence stunts linear growth.

This overview states: "There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that drinking coffee can stunt growth." It explains that the myth "likely originated from the belief that caffeine can interfere with the absorption of calcium" but that "the impact of caffeine on calcium absorption is minimal, and it is not significant enough to affect bone growth in a manner that would lead to stunted growth." It also notes that moderate caffeine intake (up to about 100 mg/day in adolescents) is not associated with adverse effects according to pediatric guidance.