Consumption of energy drinks may lead to a greater risk of substance abuse and depression, a study suggests.
Professors at the University of Waterloo and Dalhousie University conducted the study, published in the May 2014 issue of the science journal Preventive Medicine. It showed a strong correlation between high usage of caffeinated energy drinks and increasing levels of mental health problems and substance abuse, primarily with alcohol and marijuana.
The study examined more than 8,200 high school students in Atlantic Canada and found that nearly two-thirds of students reported consumption of at least one energy drink in the previous year.
“Excessive caffeine intake by adolescents has been shown to produce a number of deleterious health effects, such as irritability, cardiovascular symptoms, sleep impairment, and feelings of nausea and nervousness,” the study stated.
“Consumption [of energy drinks] is typically higher in young males, those who partake in sports, as well as those involved in substance use, prescription drug use and violent conduct.”
A number of recent deaths in the United States and Canada have been linked to excessive usage of energy drinks, the study showed.
According to Health Canada, energy drinks temporarily increase your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure, and are not designed to hydrate the body.
“In general, health care providers don’t encourage or support the consumption of energy drinks,” Maureen Murdock, director of Health and Counselling Services at Carleton University, said.
Cassondra McCrory, a master’s of science student at the University of Waterloo, said high consumption of energy drinks can be associated with “risky behaviour.” She said consumers may experience negative effects when energy drinks are mixed with alcohol.
“Symptoms often worsen by the growing trend of mixing energy drinks with alcohol, like a Red Bull vodka or a Jagerbomb,” she said.
Students use energy drinks to boost energy and performance in physical activity, and simply to stay awake, McCrory said.
With exam season rolling by, some students said they are more inclined to resort to energy drinks to stay alert during their studies.
Ty Clarke, a second-year commerce student at Carleton, said she occasionally consumes energy drinks, such as Monster, to study.
“I feel like it helps my studying a bit, but once you hit an all-nighter, it feels like you’re not retaining anything,” Clarke said.
Clarke said she was not surprised by the study’s findings.
“When I drink energy drinks, it’s once a week, and even that makes me anxious, so over a lot of time I could definitely see the correlation,” she said.
Some students said they don’t rely on energy drinks during exam and essay-writing season because they are not healthy. This includes Ameen Abukosh, a second-year electrical engineering student at Carleton.
“I feel like for 10 minutes you feel hyper, and then you feel tired, so it doesn’t help,” he said.
