The American Academy of Pediatrics recently addressed the topic of “Energy” (ie, Red Bull, Monster, etc) and “Sports” (such as Gatorade, Powerade, etc) drinks for children and adolescents. Their advice? Generally speaking, water is the best choice. Sports drinks may occasionally be appropriate for those engaged in prolonged, vigorous physical activity, but only at those times. Energy drinks are never appropriate for children or adolescents, said Dr. Schneider and Dr. Benjamin. They contain stimulants not found in sports drinks that have been linked to a number of harmful health effects in children, including effects on the developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems. Bottom line? Avoid “Energy” drinks entirely, and reach for a Sports drink only when correlated with very high activity levels.