Women carry a child in their womb for nine months. It’s vigorous, utterly beautiful, and a blessing.
Is it okay to take an energy drink if you’re pregnant?
Caffeine is present in almost all energy drinks. Caffeine consumption during pregnancy leads to problems with the growth and development of the baby.
Keep reading, as you learn some interesting things from this article.
Let’s get started.
What Are The Basic Ingredients Of Energy Drinks?
Caffeine
Caffeine is the primary source that provides you with an energy boost.
Caffeine can improve your mental energy, enhancing your physical or athletic performance. It also improves our brain function and promotes better cognitive performance.
Caffeine’s benefits may sound enticing, but keep in mind that everyone’s body reacts differently to caffeine.
A person can have a high caffeine tolerance, and a person can be sensitive towards caffeine.
For example, a can of Red Bull has 80mg of caffeine; the person who has high caffeine tolerance won’t feel the caffeine after they drink. In comparison, the sensitive person towards caffeine may feel uneasy after consuming 80mg of caffeine.
This research shows that caffeine is not suitable for pregnancy.
Sugar
Many caffeinated drinks contain a lot of sugar, but some have little to no sugar.
Added sugar or table sugar is considered unhealthy by many health professionals.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a maximum sugar intake of 25g sugar per day, that’s six tablespoons of sugar.
According to a study, pregnant women shouldn’t consume too much sugar.
Consuming too much sugar may lead to sugar fatigue, sugar crashes, excess weight gain, or even diabetes if you’re pregnant. Avoiding added sugar is the best solution.
Consuming too much sugar may lead to sugar fatigue, sugar crashes, excess weight gain, or even diabetes if you’re pregnant. Avoiding added sugar is the best solution.
Other Ingredients
Guarana enhances the caffeine already in the drink.
1g of guarana equals 40mg of caffeine, which is half the caffeine content of an average can of Red Bull.
Like taurine and BCAAs, both ingredients are amino acids, which help grow muscles and decrease muscle soreness. But it’s not suitable for pregnant women.
Can You Drink Caffeine If Pregnant?
The most recent research result occurred and declared pregnant women should not consume caffeine.
Caffeine causes heart palpitations and a spike in your blood pressure. These two issues should be avoided at all costs during pregnancy, as they endanger the baby’s health.
Caffeine also causes dehydration. Sure, caffeine will give you energy and keep you awake, but it won’t keep you hydrated.
Caffeine can be felt in the utero by the baby if taken during pregnancy. As a result, caffeine will eventually enter the baby’s system and can cause the baby to have cardiometabolic defects when born.
Can Caffeine Cause Miscarriage?
Caffeine does not cause miscarriages, but the risks and chances are still there.
Consuming caffeine during pregnancy can cause congenital disabilities, cardiovascular defects, or even epigenetic problems in the baby.
Epigenetic means the change occurs in the baby due to the environment and behaviors of the mother.
The APA says that consuming more than 200mg of caffeine during pregnancy can increase the chances and risks of miscarriages.
Knowing all these, I suggest you cut out caffeine entirely during the time of your pregnancy.
Should You Drink Energy Drinks During Pregnancy?
Keeping all of this in mind, I don’t recommend drinking energy drinks during pregnancy because most of them contain caffeine.
But if you want to, try to find an energy shot that doesn’t contain caffeine. A warning, this might be hard to find.
If you’re drinking caffeine during pregnancy, consume it at your own risk.
When selecting an energy drink, pay close attention to the ingredients list; caffeine is not the only harmful ingredient to your baby.
Can Energy Drinks Cause A Miscarriage?
Energy drinks don’t cause a miscarriage, but just like caffeine, the risks are there.
Many energy drinks are highly caffeinated. Brands like Bang or G Fuel have 300 to 140mg of caffeine in them.
Strongly caffeinated energy drinks are not allowed during pregnancy.
Consuming less than 200mg of caffeine should not cause any significant risks. But I remind you that a recent study does not approve caffeine consumption at all during pregnancy.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said that consumption of high caffeine content does not oppose the most significant threat of miscarriages.
If you’re planning on consuming caffeine or energy shot while pregnant, please consult your doctor first.
Can energy drinks harm the baby during pregnancy?
Energy drinks can harm the baby. Experts advise that pregnant women should avoid consuming energy drinks due to their high caffeine content. Caffeine is a stimulant that can pass through the placenta to the developing baby, potentially causing adverse effects.
Additionally, energy drinks often contain high levels of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which can also have negative impacts on fetal development. Some studies have linked energy drink consumption during pregnancy to an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight.
What are some alternative drinks for energy during pregnancy?
There are several alternative drinks that pregnant women can consume for a natural energy boost. Water is always a great option to stay hydrated, and adding a squeeze of lemon can help give a refreshing boost. Herbal teas are also great choices for their natural energy-boosting and calming properties.
Fruit juices and smoothies made from fresh fruits and vegetables can also provide an energy boost while delivering essential vitamins and minerals. Lastly, low-caffeine options such as green tea or decaf coffee can also be consumed in moderation as a source of natural energy.
How To Be Energized During Pregnancy?
If you’re working while pregnant or want to stay energized without relying on caffeine, I’ve also got you covered.
The best way to be energized during pregnancy is to eat lots of nutritious and healthy food.
You might be a working mom who has specific deadlines. The good news is, you can eat an additional 300 calories in a day.
A healthy adult woman should consume 2,000 calories per day. However, if you’re pregnant, you’re entitled to 300 calories more.
That’s more energy for you to be energized and keep your little one’s energy boosted too.
Breast Feeding And Pregnancy
After the baby is born and breastfeeding has started. You may wonder if you should retake energy drinks.
The good news is, you can drink energy drinks after the baby is born but in minimal amounts. It holds minimal chances of any risks for the baby.
Only 1% of the caffeine in the energy drink you’re drinking makes its way into your breast milk, which will not harm your baby in any way.
But if you want to be safe, don’t consume energy drinks without consulting your doctor.
What Are The Best Energy Drinks After Pregnancy?
Drinking energy drinks or caffeine is not healthy at all, especially during pregnancy. Both the mother’s and baby’s health is important.
The caffeine and energy drinks can wait.
You can start consuming energy drinks again after your little one is born. Again, please be careful and consult your doctor before you choose to drink energy shots again.
And keep a close eye on the ingredients list of energy drinks you’re consuming.
Here’s a short table of low caffeinated energy drinks that you may consider after pregnancy:
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine Content | Sugar Content | Calories |
| Red Bull | 80mg | 26g | 117 |
| Aspire | 80mg | 0g | 0 |
| XS | 80mg | 0g | 10 |
Red Bull
Red Bull is not expensive and doesn’t contain an excessive amount of caffeine.
It contains 80mg of caffeine, with 26g sugar and 117 calories in an 8.4 fl. oz can.
The caffeine content is not high, which means it’ll be a decent choice if you just gave birth and want to consume something that’ll provide you with a nice energy boost.
Aspire
Aspire claims to be the world’s first energy drink that burns calories. It’s a better and healthier option, in my opinion.
The drink contains only 80mg of caffeine, no sugar, and no calories. Also available in 12 fl oz cans.
If you’re looking for something that won’t mess with your sleep schedule or cause a sugar crash afterward, Aspire can be a decent option. Not to mention the drink is made with sparkling water.
XS Energy Drink
XS has only 10 calories in each 16 fl. oz can, with only 80mg caffeine. The drink has no added sugar in it.
XS can be another energy shot option if you want a nice boost of energy without harming your health after pregnancy or cause any difficulties for the baby.
Consult with your OB-Gyne before drinking energy shots while pregnant or after giving birth. It’s crucial to be safe.
You can only consume these energy drinks after giving birth and getting approval from your Obstetrician.
The Final Verdict
Most energy drinks are great for providing energy, increasing your focus, and keeping you awake.
However, if you’re pregnant, you should not consume caffeinated drinks in any way. Studies don’t approve of consuming either caffeine or energy drinks, as it may affect the baby.
You may consume caffeinated drinks after pregnancy. The mother and the baby’s health should be the priority. You don’t want to put the baby or the mother’s health at risk just for a tiny boost of energy.