A new and comprehensive review of studies, published this Monday in the scientific journal Public Health Journal, points to a link between the consumption of energy drinks and an increased risk for a series of health problems, including psychological and cardiac, among young people.
The findings led researchers from the Center for Public Health Translational Research at Teesside University and the University of Newcastle, who conducted the analysis, to call on the British government to ban the sale of the products to under-16s, something permitted in both the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom. like in Brazil.
The review included data from 57 studies, published between January 2016 and July 2022, which involved more than 1.2 million children and young people, aged between 9 and 21 years, from 21 countries.
“Energy drinks are marketed to children and young people as a way to improve energy and performance, but our findings suggest they are actually doing more harm than good,” says lead author Amelia Lake, professor of Health Nutrition Public School of Teesside University, in a statement.
The risks found in the study
In an unprecedented way, the new review found consistent links between drinking the drinks and an increased risk for negative mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, panic and suicidal thoughts.
“We are deeply concerned by the findings that energy drinks can cause psychological distress and mental health problems. These are important public health issues that need to be addressed”, argues Shelina Visram, also a professor at Teesside University and author of the work.
Furthermore, the new work confirmed other harms already highlighted by a previous review carried out by the same group, in 2016, such as the possibility of developing heart problems:
“Three randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigated the effects of energy drink consumption on cardiovascular function (…) Acute intake was associated with a significantly increased number of supraventricular extrasystoles (a form of cardiac arrhythmia) and a decrease in heart rate, highlighting the negative effect of energy drink consumption on heart rate. Consumption was also associated with increased arterial stiffness and a significant increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP),” the researchers wrote.
Other problems highlighted in the analysis of dozens of studies were a greater propensity for harmful behaviors among those who consumed the drinks, such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, the use of other substances, violence, unsafe sex and driving and bullying.
Some studies evaluated also indicated a link between intake and worse academic performance, worse sleep duration and quality and worse eating habits, such as excessive fast food and regularly skipping breakfast.
In the work, the researchers suggest that “a plausible mechanism” for so many negative repercussions could be excess caffeine. Energy drinks are non-alcoholic drinks that generally contain large amounts of the substance, at least 150 mg per liter, as well as other stimulants such as taurine, ginseng and guarana.
“Caffeine, in combination with sugar and other ingredients with stimulant properties, can have a significant impact on the overall health of children and young people. The associations may be mediated by poor sleep patterns and unhealthy eating habits”, they state.
Restriction of sales in the United Kingdom and Brazil
Given the findings, Lake states that “the evidence is clear that energy drinks are harmful to the mental and physical health of children and young people, as well as their behavior and education”. “We need to take steps now to protect them from these risks,” she argues.
For William Roberts, executive director of the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom, “this important review contributes to the growing evidence that energy drinks can be harmful to the physical and mental health of children and young people, both short-term and long-term.” long-term”.
Lake recalls that, in 2019, the British government carried out a public consultation on restricting the sale of energy drinks only to those over 16 years of age, in which 93% of respondents supported the measure. However, despite the result, no additional measures were taken.
“That’s why we need the UK government to step up and deliver on its 2019 commitment to ban the sale of energy drinks to under-16s. In doing so, it would not only be following the evidence, but also following the example of countries that have already restricted sales to children, a measure supported by the majority of the public”, he says. In Sweden, for example, products recently became prohibited for minors.
This is also proposed by a Bill in Brazil, presented in 2015, PL 455/2015. In the country, there are no restrictions, but the initiative seeks to prohibit consumption by people under 18 years of age. The text, however, is still being analyzed by committees of the Chamber of Deputies, and has not been voted on in plenary.
