Does your teen down energy drinks? Then he may be more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. Scientists have discovered that adolescents who consume high-caffeine energy drinks are also more likely to partake in other substances.
Energy drinks can contain high doses of caffeine and are marketed as aids to increase energy, concentration and alertness. Needless to say, it's an attractive option for teens who are pulling late-night study sessions or who need to get through a long day of school.Yet it seems that the same characteristics that attract teens to energy drinks, such as being sensation-seeking or risk-oriented, also attract them to other substances.
In order to better understand the correlation, though, the researchers analyzed nationally representative data on nearly 22,000 U.S. secondary school students. In response to questionnaires, about 30 percent of the teens reported using caffeine-containing energy drinks or shots. In addition, more than 40 percent of the teens said that they drank regular soft drinks every day. Only 20 percent drank diet soft drinks daily.
That's not all, though. Students who used energy drinks were also more likely to report recent use of alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. Across age groups and with adjustment for other factors, teens who used energy drinks were two or three times more likely to report other types of substance use compared to those who didn't use energy drinks.
"The current study indicates that adolescent consumption of energy drinks/shots is widespread and that energy drink users also report heightened risk for substance use," said Yvonne Terry-McElrath, one of the researchers, in a news release.
The findings reveal that it's more important than ever to explain to teens the risks of substance abuse. Although caffeinated drinks may not necessarily pose huge risks in moderation, it's crucial to have teens understand exactly what dangers are involved when abusing any type of substance.
The findings are published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
