Research Finds Lovers Of Energy Drinks Are At Risk Of Drug Addiction!

A new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health has revealed consumers of energy drinks such as Red Bull are at greater risk of trying cocaine in the future.

The results show that young adults who said they’d consumed energy drinks yearly between ages 21 and 24 were at greater risk for subsequently doing cocaine, using prescription stimulants for non-medical uses and developing a drinking problem.

Researchers conducted the study over a 5 year period on 1,099 on students who were recruited as 18 year olds.

Those who didn’t consume energy drinks as they got older were less likely to develop substance-abuse problems.

Amelia Arria, director of the university’s Center on Young Adult Health and Development, said that among the reasons for the shocking findings was that changes in energy-drinker’s brains make them like stimulants more. This could potentially lead them to trying other ways to get a ‘buzz.’

“Energy drinks are not as regulated as some other beverages. One policy implication is to consider options for regulating the maximum amount of caffeine that can be put in an energy drink.” she said. “Parents need to be aware of those risks when their child or adolescent or young adult wants to make a decision about what sort of beverage to consume. They need to be aware of the potential risk.”

Energy drink sales are higher than ever at the moment with North American retail sales topping $11 billion, up from less than $5 billion in 2007!

Parents definitely need to be aware of the risks associated with these so called ‘harmless energy drinks’ and see the potential for future harm in the health of their teenagers (and themselves).

Images: Google