Sodas and Energy Drinks - Bad for Mental Health

As a follow-up to last week’s article on sugar-sweetened versus artificially-sweetened beverages, today’s topic focuses on the mental health effects of sodas and energy drinks. I have written before about the unhealthy consequences of sodas and energy drinks on physical health. See also: https://www.feedfuturehealth.com/post/sugar-sweetened-versus-artificially-sweetened-beverages-is-either-without-risk 

https://www.feedfuturehealth.com/post/why-sodas-and-other-sugar-sweetened-beverages-are-the-worst-drink-choices 

https://www.feedfuturehealth.com/post/are-energy-drinks-safe-for-kids

Recent research links both of these beverages to mental health risks, especially in adolescents and young adults, whose brains are not fully developed. 

Both sodas and energy drinks are loaded with sugar. Both may also contain caffeine. Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine, often in much higher amounts than soda, tea, or coffee. Additionally, energy drinks usually contain other substances such as taurine, guarana, and ginseng, which are thought to have psychoactive effects.

SODAS

A bottle of Coca-Cola on ice. One of many soft drinks that contains caffeine and sugar.

The sugar content in soda spikes blood sugar levels because there are no other nutrients (protein or fiber) to slow the absorption. We know that high sugar levels over time cause inflammation, both in the body and the brain. This inflammation is linked to depression. One large study that tracked participants over a decade found that the more soda one consumed, the greater the risk of depression, up to a 16% to 17% greater risk. This result was primarily seen in women. 

Interestingly, another study looked at the gut microbiome in women with regular soda intake and found increased levels of a specific gut bacterium in their stool samples, a bacterium common in people with depression. The simple sugars in soft drinks cause changes in the gut microbiome, which increases the growth of pro-inflammatory bacteria. This inflammation can extend beyond the gut, to the brain and central nervous system. These results were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Another study from the Journal of Affective Disorders found that anxiety and depression risk were increased by about 14% in those who drank more than one serving daily of a sugar-sweetened beverage.

And another showed that teens who drank sodas frequently (7 or more times weekly) scored higher on depressive and anxiety symptoms on screening questionnaires.

Sodas that combine sugar and caffeine have similar adverse effects to energy drinks, but sodas typically don’t have the high caffeine content or other additives contained in energy drinks.

ENERGY DRINKS

Monster energy drink, one example of many.

Many energy drinks have greater amounts of caffeine than is considered safe for adults. These are typically marketed to teens and young adults. Male teens are the highest consumers of energy drinks.

In addition to physical symptoms described in a previous article (heart irregularities, palpitations, jitteriness, dehydration), frequent energy drink consumption has been linked to 

• Poor sleep

• Depression

• Panic and anxiety disorders

• Lower academic performance

• ADHD symptoms

• Possible increased risk of suicide

Shorter sleep duration and poorer quality sleep can cause attention difficulty, anxiety, inability to regulate emotions, and mood swings, all contributing to poor school performance. Caffeine has a half-life of 6 to 8 hours; it takes this long for half of the caffeine amount to clear the body. Consuming these drinks later in the day adversely affects sleep patterns.  

These drinks have a short-term effect on energy and alertness, but the peak is followed by a crash. Long-term use can lead to mental health risks. Lack of adequate sleep leads to physical and mental decline in adults and children. Chronic poor sleep can negatively impact brain development in children and adolescents, since sleep is essential for the developing brain.

Considering the mental health crisis in the pediatric population and the millions of kids who frequently consume sodas and energy drinks, this is a public health issue. We are obligated as parents to look out for our kids’ physical and emotional well-being. That begins with conversations over diet, lifestyles, and risky behaviors. Open dialogue with accurate information is a starting point.