Energy Drinks and Anxiety/Depression

[Selly]

I have recently dropped back into a mild depression/anxiety about 5 weeks ago after returing from overseas.

In the leadup to my holiday I used to have a can of Monster Energy drinkj once a day - it was somehting I wanted to stop due to the perceived health issues and so I did when I wentOS for a month.

Since rtuerning I have had two cans in the last two weeks and both times have noticed that I felt a lot more calm and balanced after lost that hoorible anxiousness in my stomach.

I dont partocualy want to go back to consuming these drinks on a daily basis but was interested ti know if anyone else had experienced similar or would know why this is the case?

[SubduedBlues]

Hi Selly

Probably unrelated, but hyperkenesias and ADHD sufferers calm down when given extra stimulus either by diet or by medicine. This is also true for some of us Tourettes sufferers,  depending on how the tics manifest themselves. So you may want to check with your gp, psychiatrist and/or neurologist depending on which you think it may be; if any.

D'

[JessF]

Hello Selly, these are a guilty pleasure for me, although I like the V Blue ones. They're full of caffeine and sugar, and this is probably what is giving you a bit of a pleasure rush, but if you have too much of it, there'll be a crash at the other end. Trust me! Just like with coffee, it's about the moderation. One can a day should be fine, but making sure you're eating healthy foods as well and exercising and it all balances out.

[Magyarok]

Hi Selly,

I'm not sure if energy drinks are related to depression/anxiety or not - they could be i suppose.  However i certainly won't go near them!  The last time i had one about five years ago my heart went berserk, it was palpitating and racing and really thudding and i couldn't sleep for almost a whole night because of it.  Even coke can do this to me so i don't go near that either.

It really concerns me that the sale of energy drinks isn't more regulated and there doesn't appear to be age restrictions on sales judging by the number of school kids i see going to and from school each day with an energy drink in hand.  It really concerns me what effect short and long term these drinks could be having on them besides rotting teeth.

Take care

ignoP

[DrM]

Hi Selly,

There's exciting research about our mood, our diet and the bugs in our gut (see the last two episodes of catalyst if you are interested) 

The noose is tightening on processed foods high in calories, particularly sugars, and the bugs that depend on them. 90% of your serotonin is made by gut bugs. Best to keep them healthy. The research on probiotics is looking promising for anxiety and depression but has a long way to go to be proved.

[SubduedBlues]

DrM

Are you suggesting that Yakult may be a benefit for those of us who suffer?

D'

[juliette]

Thanks for telling us about the Catalyst episodes.  It sounds really interesting so I'll go see if I can watch those specific episodes. 

Wouldn't it be truly wonderful if depression and anxiety could easily managed just by keeping our stomach bugs happy 😉