Doola
Download app now

Can I drink energy drinks while pregnant?

Avoid Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Energy drinks, such as Red Bull and Monster, show Avoid in Doola Scan for pregnancy in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and Check in Ireland. Health NZ and Australia's Better Health Channel say to avoid them in pregnancy, and Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand require labels saying they aren't recommended for pregnant women. Ireland's HSE asks you to limit them. What decides it is the caffeine, often with sugar and other stimulants such as guarana.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Energy drinks in cans or bottles, such as Red Bull or Monster

    AvoidUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaAustraliaNew ZealandCheckIreland
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Energy drinks while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on energy drinks, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • United States

    Avoid
    • ACOGModerate caffeine (less than 200 mg a day) does not cause miscarriage or preterm birth.Source
    • FDANo set pregnancy limit; talk to your health care provider about whether to limit caffeine.Source
    • MyHealthfinder (HHS)Limit caffeine; ask your doctor if caffeine is safe for you, or try decaf.Source
    • ACOGModerate intake is not a major factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.Source
    • Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDA/HHS)Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas, fruit drinks and energy drinks (general population).Source
    • MyHealthfinder (HHS)In pregnancy, drink plain water instead of sugary drinks like soda and energy or sports drinks.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Avoid
    • NHSHigh caffeine intake is linked to miscarriage and stillbirth.Source
    • NHSNo more than 200 mg caffeine a day in pregnancy.Source
    • FSAHigh-caffeine drinks must carry 'Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women'.Source
    • NHSEnergy drinks count towards the 200 mg a day caffeine limit (about 80 mg per 250 ml can).Source

  • Canada

    Avoid
    • CPSLimit caffeine in pregnancy; consider cutting it out.Source
    • Health CanadaMaximum 300 mg caffeine a day when pregnant (about two 8-oz cups of coffee).Source
    • Health CanadaMaximum 300 mg caffeine a day when pregnant.Source
    • Health CanadaEnergy drinks must be labelled not recommended for under 14s, pregnant or breastfeeding women.Source

  • Australia

    Avoid
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Limit caffeine to 200 mg a day or less, or avoid it.Source
    • FSANZNo more than 200 mg caffeine a day from all sources.Source
    • healthdirectLimit caffeine to 200 mg a day when pregnant.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Maximum 200 mg caffeine per day (total) in pregnancy.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Maximum 200 mg/day.Source
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Pregnant women should avoid energy drinks.Source
    • FSANZEnergy drinks must be labelled not suitable for young children, pregnant or lactating women; caffeine powders banned.Source
    • NSW Food AuthorityAvoid energy and sports drinks with caffeine.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Energy drinks are not recommended in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.Source

  • New Zealand

    Avoid
    • Health NZNo more than 4 cups tea or instant coffee (or 3 plunger coffees) a day.Source
    • Health NZUp to 200 mg caffeine a day in pregnancy.Source
    • Health NZHigh in caffeine and sugar; NZ advises avoiding them in pregnancy, and AU/NZ labels say they are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.Source

  • Ireland

    Check
    • HSELimit caffeine to 200 mg a day (2 instant coffees, 1 filter coffee, 2-4 teas); limit energy drinks.Source
    • HSELimit energy drinks in pregnancy.Source
What to check

Before you drink energy drinks.

  1. Read the label for the pregnancy warning

    Health Canada requires caffeinated energy drinks to be labelled as not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. In Australia and New Zealand, FSANZ requires labels saying they are not suitable for pregnant or lactating women, and in the UK high-caffeine drinks must say they are not recommended for pregnant women. Health Canada

  2. Count every can toward your caffeine limit

    The NHS puts a 250ml can of energy drink at about 80mg of caffeine, against a limit of 200mg a day in pregnancy. Health NZ adds that a 60ml energy shot has about 60mg, and that energy drinks may also contain stimulants such as guarana that act like caffeine. NHS

  3. Choose water or another drink instead

    MyHealthfinder asks you to drink plain water in pregnancy instead of sugary drinks like soda and energy or sports drinks. Health NZ says to avoid energy drinks because they are high in sugar as well as caffeine. MyHealthfinder (HHS)

Questions

About energy drinks
in pregnancy.

The guidance names caffeine and sugar. Health NZ says energy drinks are high in sugar as well as caffeine, and that some contain stimulants such as guarana that act like caffeine. Health Canada also counts guarana and yerba mate as caffeine sources.

Doola Scan shows Avoid for energy drinks in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, including sugar-free ones, and Check in Ireland. None of these countries' guidance names an energy drink brand as suitable for pregnancy.

They are energy drinks, so they show Avoid in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and Check in Ireland. Check the can's label for its caffeine and its pregnancy warning.

The FDA sets no pregnancy limit for caffeine and asks you to talk to your health care provider about it. ACOG says less than 200mg a day, and MyHealthfinder suggests plain water instead of energy drinks.

The HSE says to try to limit energy drinks in pregnancy because they can be high in caffeine, and to keep caffeine to 200mg a day. That's why Doola Scan shows Check in Ireland rather than Avoid.

The guidance is about what to drink from now on. If you're worried, talk to your midwife or doctor.

Yes. Take a photo of the label, and Doola Scan checks each ingredient, caffeine and guarana included, against your country's pregnancy guidance. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
Doola Scan

Not sure about a meal? Scan it.

Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

Download app now
More foods
Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.