When researchers looked at people who drink a lot of coffee versus those who regularly reach for energy drinks, an interesting and concerning pattern showed up. Higher energy drink use was linked to a greater risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially among young men.
That doesn’t mean energy drinks are the direct cause. This kind of research looks at trends, not proof. In many cases, heavy energy drink use may go hand in hand with things like high stress, poor sleep, or other struggles rather than being the sole problem.
Still, when the same signal keeps appearing across large studies, it’s worth paying attention. With mental health already top of mind for so many people, this is one area that shouldn’t be brushed aside.
Energy drinks can cross a line
Energy drinks can disrupt sleep, increase anxiety and stress, and affect mood through their potent mix of caffeine, sugar, and other ingredients. This combination can create an unhealthy mental environment, especially for people who may already be vulnerable.
While energy drinks are not definitively proven to cause suicide, research strongly suggests they are significantly associated with increased suicide risk. This association appears strongest in younger men, who are also the most frequent consumers and already represent a higher-risk group for mental health crises.
Key findings from the research include:
- Even low-frequency use, such as one energy drink per month, has been linked to higher rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts
- The risk appears dose-dependent, meaning higher intake is linked to higher risk
- The association is stronger in adolescents and young adults, especially boys
- Energy drinks differ from coffee due to added stimulants and high sugar content
- Energy drink use often appears alongside poor sleep, depression, high stress, and substance misuse.
In contrast, coffee showed a very different pattern. Higher coffee intake was associated with a lower overall risk of suicide attempts, suggesting a possible protective effect.
Details of the study
The research analyzed data from more than 1.5 million participants worldwide. It examined patterns of caffeine intake and mental health outcomes, focusing on suicide-related behaviors.
The results showed:
- A clear dose-response relationship for energy drinks
- Lower suicide attempt rates among regular coffee drinkers
- A roughly 30% lower risk among high coffee consumers compared with energy drink users.
The researchers emphasized that this difference likely relates to what comes with caffeine in energy drinks, not caffeine alone.
Comparing coffee with energy drink consumption and why the effects may differ
Coffee and energy drinks are often grouped together because both contain caffeine. However, the study highlights why this comparison can be misleading.
Coffee typically provides:
- Moderate, predictable caffeine doses
- Slower absorption
- Fewer added stimulants.
Energy drinks, on the other hand, often contain:
- Higher caffeine per serving
- Rapid spikes and crashes in energy
- Additional psychoactive compounds
- Large amounts of sugar.
The study encourages separating the idea of caffeine itself from the broader category of energy drinks. Coffee appears neutral or even beneficial for mood in moderate amounts, while energy drinks may contribute to psychological instability.
Mapping the role of sugar and additives in health drinks
Many energy drinks contain extremely high sugar levels, sometimes reaching 50–60 grams per can. These sugar spikes can lead to sharp rises and falls in blood glucose, which may worsen mood swings, fatigue, and irritability.
Common additives found in energy drinks include:
- taurine, guarana, and ginseng, which may overstimulate the nervous system
- Large sugar loads linked to depressive symptoms
- Compounds that may worsen anxiety in sensitive individuals.
These ingredients are often marketed as performance enhancers but may have unintended mental health effects, especially when combined or consumed regularly.
The gut-brain axis could be a hidden factor
The research also points to differences in how coffee and energy drinks affect the gut. The gut-brain axis plays an important role in mood regulation and mental health.
Coffee has been linked to:
- Improved microbial diversity
- Antioxidant effects
- Support for bacteria involved in mood balance.
Energy drinks, by contrast, may:
- Reduce beneficial gut bacteria
- Disrupt microbial balance through high sugar intake
- Negatively affect mood-regulating pathways.
This difference may help explain why coffee and energy drinks show opposite associations with mental health outcomes.
Which population group is most at risk from excess health drink consumption?
The study highlights younger men as the primary consumers of energy drinks and the group showing the strongest association with suicide risk.
This group also shows higher rates of:
- Addiction-related behaviors
- Sleep deprivation
- Impulsivity
- Risk-taking lifestyles.
Because of this overlap, energy drink use may serve as an early warning sign rather than a single cause. Researchers describe it as a “red flag” that may point to deeper mental health or lifestyle challenges.
How health drinks interact with medications
Caffeine interacts with the body through shared metabolic pathways used by many medications. In most cases, these interactions are mild, but there are notable exceptions.
Important considerations include:
- Caffeine shares liver enzymes with some psychiatric medication
- High caffeine intake may slightly increase levels of Clozapine
- Energy drinks may affect blood sugar in vulnerable patients
- Combining caffeine with sedatives can worsen anxiety and sleep problems,
For antidepressants, no strong interactions have been confirmed, but caution is still advised for people with anxiety or sleep disorders.
Discussing the effects of health drinks with healthcare professionals
For healthcare providers, energy drink use can be a useful screening question, especially in younger patients or those presenting with mood or sleep concerns.
For patients, understanding that not all caffeine sources are equal is important. Reporting energy drink use alongside medications helps providers build a clearer picture of overall health.
Takeaway: moderation protects, excess harms
The key message from the research is not that caffeine is harmful, but that context and quantity matter.
- Moderate coffee intake may support mood and alertness, while heavy energy drink use appears linked to higher mental health risk.
- Energy drinks may intensify stress, worsen sleep, and amplify depressive symptoms, particularly when combined with other pressures.
Energy drinks aren’t just a boost in a can. They can signal deeper stress or health challenges. Talking about them with doctors can open doors to better care and understanding.
At IsraelPharm, we emphasize medication safety and informed lifestyle choices. What you drink and eat can affect how your medications work and how you feel.
Frequently asked questions about health drinks
Do energy drinks increase suicide risk?
Research shows a strong association between energy drink use and increased suicide risk, especially in young men. This does not prove energy drinks cause suicide, but even low levels of consumption have been linked to higher rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts. Energy drink use may act as a warning sign for underlying stress, sleep problems, or mental health challenges.
Why does coffee appear different from energy drinks?
Coffee contains caffeine without many of the added stimulants and sugars found in energy drinks. The study found that regular coffee intake was associated with lower suicide risk, suggesting caffeine alone is not the problem. The combination of ingredients in energy drinks appears to play a larger role.
Are energy drinks and mental health connected?
Yes. Energy drinks have been linked to anxiety, poor sleep, mood swings, and higher rates of risk-taking behavior. These factors are closely connected to mental health outcomes, including depression and suicidality.
Can caffeine worsen depression?
Caffeine affects people differently. In moderate amounts, it may improve alertness and mood. In high doses, especially from energy drinks, it can worsen anxiety, disrupt sleep, and contribute to emotional instability, which may aggravate depressive symptoms.
Do energy drinks interact with psychiatric medication?
Most interactions are mild, but high caffeine intake can affect certain medications, including clozapine. Energy drinks may also interfere with sedatives and sleep medications. Patients should discuss caffeine intake with their healthcare provider.
Who should be most cautious with energy drinks?
Younger men, people with anxiety or sleep disorders, and those taking psychiatric medication should be especially cautious. Regular energy drink use may signal other health risks that deserve attention.
