From dailymail.co.uk
Excessive consumption of energy drinks may be exacerbating PTSD and other mental health problems among soldiers, a new study finds.
A study published in the Military Medicine journal examined 627 male infantry soldiers seven months after a combat deployment and found one in six were still heavy energy drink users.
The researchers surveyed active duty U.S. soldiers from one brigade combat team after the soldiers returned from a 12-month combat deployment to Afghanistan.
Although the need for a caffeine boost in a combat zone is perfectly understandable, the study found that even seven months after returning from a deployment, energy drink use was still worryingly high.
The researchers found that high use of energy drinks among the soldiers was ‘significantly related’ to mental health problems, aggressive behaviors, and – intriguingly – fatigue.
A key finding was that mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD and alcohol misuse were strongly associated with high levels of energy drink use.
Interestingly, energy drink use was also associated with fatigue.
It unclear whether the fatigue was caused by energy drinks or prompted their use, but the relationship suggested that ‘energy drink use may potentially exacerbate, rather than alleviate, fatigue,’ the authors wrote.
The study recommends that military leaders consider how to discourage overuse of energy drinks in the operational environment, and encourage moderation when returning for deployment.