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Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the consumption patterns of caffeinated energy drinks among university students in the south of Ireland

Materials and Methods: An online survey was created using Google Forms to investigate the consumption of caffeinated energy drinks among university students in Ireland. It was distributed to students via social media and email from the 8th of March to the 21st of March 2023 inclusive. A total of 281 responses were analysed and validated by data cleaning on Microsoft Excel, with 10 incomplete responses discarded, yielding 271 validated responses for statistical analysis.

Results: The majority of survey respondents (71.3%) reported consuming caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) with Monster Energy being the most commonly consumed brand. Reasons for CED consumption varied widely with studying (30.7%) and fatigue (24.6%) being the most common. The degree of awareness and knowledge of the ingredients present in CEDs varies among university students, with over half of respondents believing sugar-free CEDs are healthier than sugar-containing and over three-quarters of respondents not knowing the maximum recommended daily caffeine intake. Several benefits and side effects are experienced when consuming CEDs, most commonly an increased energy boost (80.4%) and increased heart rate (42.8%) respectively. Most respondents (99.3%) believed the consumption of CED among university students is increasing, but over half of CED consumers (52.1%) do not believe to be reliant on them.

Conclusion: The consumption of caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) among university students is extremely common. The benefits and side effects associated with CED consumption are predominantly associated with the ingredients present, and consumption habits. It is important that students increase their awareness of the health concerns and dangers associated with CED consumption, and the ingredients present in CEDs to prevent side effects such as headaches, gastrointestinal upset, and anxiety. Further research is required to determine the effects of sugar-free and sugar-containing CEDs.

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