Astonishing results from a huge meta-analysis of more than 1.5 million people revealed an association between energy drinks and suicide. This doesn’t mean energy drinks cause suicide, but it does tell us that there is a link between energy drink consumption and suicide. Let’s unpack the connection between energy drinks and suicide.
Is it about the Caffiene?
No. The researchers compared coffee drinkers to users of energy drinks. Interestingly, drinking a lot of coffee reduced the risk of suicide attempts and thinking about suicide. They defined high coffee consumption as more than 60 cups per month. That’s only two cups a day!
They speculated that the reduced suicide risk in coffee drinkers was because of its stimulating and mood-enhancing properties. Comparing consumers of energy drinks to coffee drinkers, they found that suicide attempts were 30% lower among coffee drinkers.
In stark contrast, even one energy drink per month pushed up the risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts. Furthermore, the energy drink effect was dose-dependent and tripled the suicide risk at high levels of energy drink consumption.
What else is in Energy Drinks?
Energy drinks contain other psychoactive ingredients, like ginseng, taurine, and guarana, and have high sugar levels. Those substances can trigger emotional changes. For instance, high sugar intake can negatively impact emotions by contributing to mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and depression. This happens because rapid sugar consumption causes blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, leading to energy fluctuations and a subsequent drop in mood. Additionally, sugar triggers a dopamine release, which can be addictive and may reduce dopamine production over time, increasing cravings and decreasing overall life satisfaction.
Furthermore, we know that high sugar consumption reduces the diversity of the microbiota in the gut. In turn, that can trigger changes in emotions.
The Read World, Energy Drinks and Suicide
What else accounts for the link between energy drinks and suicide? It is implausible that the association between energy drinks and suicide is simply about energy drinks. Firstly, energy drink consumption is much higher in adolescents, especially in teenage males. Secondly, substance abuse is high among adolescents. Thirdly, psychiatric illness is more common in people with addictive behaviours.
Let’s contextualise this in the real world. Think of all-night raves fuelled by drugs, alcohol and energy drinks. It’s a social setting that fuels energy drink consumption, with highs followed by lows and the feeling that life is not worth living.
Understanding Energy Drinks and Suicide
This research tells us that energy drink consumption is a red flag, especially when intake is high. Consumers are more likely to have emotional issues, especially impaired capacity for emotional self-regulation. They’re more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol. Consequently, their risk for suicide is higher than normal.
