Teenagers who consume energy drinks are more likely to use drugs and alcohol because they give the same "sensation-seeking or risk-oriented" feeling, according to University of Michigan researchers.
Energy drinks have grown in popularity, especially among teenagers and young adults in the United States. Simultaneously, the number of teenagers that have taken to drugs and alcohol in the last couple of years has also increased. University of Michigan researchers may have found a link between the two.
After conducting a study, researchers found that teenagers who consume energy drinks are more likely to use drugs and alcohol. Most adolescents consume energy drinks because of the "sensation-seeking or risk-oriented" feeling the drink gives them. The desire to attain the same feeling may compel teenagers and adolescents to consume other substances like drugs and alcohol that give then the same "kick", according to a press release.
Twenty two thousand secondary school students (eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders) that were participants in the University of Michigan's "Monitoring the Future" took part in this study as well. They were asked to fill up questionnaires about using caffeine-containing energy drinks or shots.
30 percent of teens reported using caffeine-containing energy drinks or shots. More than 40 percent said they drank regular soft drinks every day, while 20 percent drank diet soft drinks daily.
Boys were more likely to consume energy drinks than girls. Additionally, children belonging to single-parent homes and with lesser educated parents were more likely to take caffeine-containing energy drinks.
What surprised researchers was that 30 percent of teens who reportedly consumed caffeine-containing energy drinks or shots also admitted to recently using alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs.
This is one of the first studies to look into the consumption of energy drinks by U.S. adolescents, and how they may be related to other types of substance use.
A previous study conducted by the same university found that drinking an energy drink mixed with alcohol is riskier for health than drinking alcohol alone.
Currently, premixing high-caffeine products with alcohol by manufacturers is not permitted in the United States, according to a Wall Street Journal report. However, clubs continue to serve cocktails mixed with the two, creating a highly intoxicating mixture. A few favorites among teens and young adults are vodka Red Bulls and Jäger bombs, made by dropping a shot of Jägermeister liquor into a glass of Red Bull, both of which are variants of Four Loko and Sparks. Taking note of the various health implications, both these alcoholic energy drinks have been banned in the country.
Many of the energy drinks available in the market these days are not safe, irrespective of what they claim. They contain varied levels of caffeine, which if taken at the wrong time lead to disturbed sleep and dehydration of the body. Moreover, these energy drinks also trigger reactions in the body that boosts blood pressure and heart beat rates, which again may not been good for the body. Experts recommend never to consume energy drinks while exercising as the combination of all the stimulants and other ingredients in energy drinks can result in a loss of fluid from sweating and cause dehydration.
