Energy drinks tied to brain injuries in teens, study finds

Teens who reported a traumatic brain injury in the past year were seven times more likely to have consumed at least five energy drinks in the past week than those without a history of TBI, according to a study published today in PLOS ONE.

The study also suggests that teens who reported traumatic brain injury were at least twice as likely to have consumed energy drinks combined with alcohol.

“We’ve found a link between increased brain injuries and the consumption of energy drinks or energy drinks mixed with alcohol,” study co-author Dr.

Michael Cusimano said of the new findings. “This is significant because energy drinks have previously been associated with general injuries, but not specifically with TBI.”

TBI can lead to cognitive, emotional, and psychoscial consequences in adolescents, according to the study. Cusimano says that energy drinks high in caffeine could be interfering with the recovery of teens.

“Brain injuries among adolescents are particularly concerning because their brains are still developing,” he said in a statement.

Other experts agree that the results of the study are alarming.

“It is particularly concerning to see that teens who report a recent TBI are also twice as likely to report consuming energy drinks mixed with alcohol,” Dr. Robert Mann, a senior scientist from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, said. “While we cannot say this link is causal, it’s a behavior that could cause further injury and so we should be looking at this relationship closely in future research.”

Research also found that teens who suffered from TBI in the past year while participating in sports were twice as likely to consume energy drinks when compared to those who suffered TBI from other incidents.

The study’s authors say further research is needed to explore the context in which energy drinks are consumed and to what extend they are a contributor,” a “consequence” or a “result” of underlying factors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that “TBI is a serious public health problem in the United States. Each year, traumatic brain injuries contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability. In 2010 2.5 million TBIs occurred either as an isolated injury or along with other injuries.”

Agencies/Canadajournal