Energy Drinks and Anxiety
There have been calls recently for energy drinks to be banned for the under sixteens. Maria Caulfield, the Member of Parliament for Lewes, raised this issue during Prime Minister’s Questions. This was brought up because it was felt that the energy drinks consumed by one of her constituents (15 cans a day) contributed to his anxiety which led to his suicide at 25 years of age.
This is a very sad case, which does bring up some legitimate questions about what is in the best interests of young people’s health. I would suggest that 15 cans of energy drinks a day is excessive and probably not the norm That said, anything that can have a negative impact on anxiety, a major cause of mental health distress, should be investigated fully.
After all, the government and public are quick to back calls for the criminalisation of certain drugs as they have a detrimental effect on people’s health and well being. We in the mental health world, often do not talk enough about how external factors like food and drink have an impact both positive and negative on mental health issues. Clearly this recent case should give us pause and we should rightly be wondering if energy drinks cause more harm than good.
