Young adults between 18 and 25 years of age have been the primary target of the multibillion-dollar global energy drink market. Targeting college campuses and youth with such drinks can damage the mental health of students, according to findings from the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) Research Scientist Kathleen E. Miller, Ph.D. The study looked at a total of 795 Western New York male and female undergraduate students, with 39 percent reportedly consuming at least one energy drink in the previous month. Two-thirds of the energy drink consumers in Miller's study had used energy drinks combined with alcoholic beverages.
Problem Behaviour Syndrome: Results indicate that individuals consuming "frequent energy drinks (six or more days a month) were approximately three times as likely as less-frequent energy drinkers or non-consumers to have smoked cigarettes, abused prescription drugs and been in a serious physical fight in the year prior to the survey." The survey reveals alcohol-related problems and marijuana addiction as well as behavioral issues related to unsafe sex, avoiding seatbelt use while driving, and indulgence in dangerous and risky sports. However, whites (40 percent) more than African-American (25 percent) students were prone to exhibit the behavioral problems. Parents and college officials may want to screen students for "problem behaviour syndrome" by looking for their energy drink consumption over a period of time.
Caffeine Addiction: Dr. Miller's observations suggest that caffeine (sometimes as high as 10 times the normal) along with other amino acids such as taurine and excessive vitamin content as well as plant and herbal extracts are to blame. It is a misconception that caffeine can overcome alcohol effect. Research at the US National Institute of Drug Abuse had already indicated that at the concentration typically found in commercial colas (0.1 mg/mL), it contributes little to the taste of the beverage. Instead, regular cola consumption in adults may be driven in part by addictive properties of the drug caffeine.
Toxic Jock Identity: There is also the risk of developing a "toxic jock identity" from energy drink consumption, according to Miller's another study published in the March/April 2008 issue of the Journal of American College Health. Such an identity has been associated with problem drinking, sexual risk-taking, interpersonal violence, academic misconduct, delinquency and even suicide attempts among undergraduates consuming frequent energy drinks.
Countries like France, Turkey, Denmark, Norway, Uruguay and Iceland have already banned high-caffeine/taurine energy drinks altogether. In Canada, product labels warn children or pregnant women against consuming them with alcohol.
