Sipping on a slushie on a hot day is probably a core childhood memory for a lot of us. But that icy-cold sweet treat was just linked to a dangerous syndrome in children—who have shown symptoms in as little as an hour after consuming the drink.
The condition, which is called glycerol intoxication syndrome, was detected in nearly two dozen children in the UK and Ireland, and the symptoms are pretty scary. All of this leaves parents wondering, “is it safe for my kids to drink slushies?” Women’s Health broke down the study with experts to get the latest on these sugary drinks.
Here’s what the research found, plus what doctors want people to keep in mind when it comes to giving kids slushies.
Meet the expert: Jamie Alan, PhD, is an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University; Gina Posner, MD, is a pediatrician at MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, CA; Shirel Stetson, MD, is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Ashanti Woods, MD, is a pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.
What did the study find?
The case review was published in Archives of Disease in Childhood and breaks down the medical records of 21 kids between 2009 and 2024 who became sick and needed to be hospitalized soon after drinking slushies.
The researchers discovered that each of the children, who were between ages two and six, developed the same set of symptoms after having the drink. The researchers tied the symptoms to a condition called glycerol intoxication syndrome.
This is a big deal, according to the study’s authors. “Clinicians and parents should be alert to the phenomenon, and public health bodies should ensure clear messaging regarding the fact that younger children, especially those under 8 years of age, should avoid slush ice drinks containing glycerol,” they wrote in the conclusion.
What is glycerol intoxication syndrome?
Glycerol intoxication syndrome is a condition that can happen after having glycerol, an ingredient that is often found in sugar-free slushies or those that claim to have no added sugar. Glycerol keeps the ice in slushies from completely freezing, giving them that “slush” effect without high levels of sugar, explains Jamie Alan, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University.
According to the case review, the affected children experienced a decrease in consciousness, a sudden and severe drop in blood sugar (this is called “hypoglycemia”), and a build-up of acid in the blood, which is called metabolic acidosis. The researchers found that these symptoms came on in children within an hour after drinking slushies that contained glycerol.
What is hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar, is what happens when the level of glucose in your blood drops below what is considered “healthy,” per the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
It can cause a range of symptoms, from feeling shaky and jittery to losing consciousness or even having a seizure.
What happened to the children who developed the syndrome?
Luckily, the kids who experienced glycerol intoxication syndrome ended up being okay. The researchers found that 95 percent of the children in the study didn’t experience symptoms again after they stopped having slushies.
Why do slushies cause this syndrome?
It seems to be tied to the glycerol, a sweet-tasting viscous liquid which “the body rapidly absorbs,” says Shirel Stetson, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “Excessive amounts can overwhelm normal metabolic pathways,” Dr. Stetson adds. As a result, kids can get sick.
Alan points out that glycerol was introduced into drinks because people were concerned with the high levels of sugar in our food and drinks so substituted this fake version in. But that excess glycerol seems to have the unintended side effect of sparking hypoglycemia in kids, particularly younger children, per Gina Posner, MD, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, CA. “It’s definitely the glycerol,” she says.
Is it safe to drink slushies?
This particular study focuses on children, so Alan recommends being “very cautious” about letting kids under eight have sugar-free slushies, a directive that Dr. Posner co-signs. “If you’re going to give kids a slushie, give them a sugar slushie,” she says.
But she also emphasizes that you should be careful about how much of any kind of slushie you give to a child. “Don’t give them a lot,” Dr. Posner says. And of course, children with diabetes, metabolic disorders, or a history of hypoglycemia should be especially cautious, Dr. Stetson says.
In general, parents should consider the nutritional benefits, or lack thereof, of the snacks their child is consuming, says Ashanti Woods, MD, a pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. “When in doubt, parents should avoid the snack.”
But parents don’t need to panic if their child has had slushies in the past, Alan says. “This examined 21 cases, which is quite low,” she says. “I am guessing this is relatively rare.”
In adults, Alan says that slushies are usually okay to consume. You just might want to take a few precautions if you plan to sip on the treat. “Moderation is also important,” Alan says. “Too much of anything can be harmful, so pick the small size rather than the big gulp.”
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