Increased Energy Drink Use as a Predictor of Illicit Prescription Stimulant Use

ABSTRACT

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine energy drink usage patterns and to investigate the relationship between energy drink use and illicit use of prescription stimulants among college students. Methods: A sample of 605 undergraduate and graduate students (mean age ± SD: 21.96 ± 4.216) from a large midwestern university voluntarily participated in the study. Results: Of the participants, 48.9% (n = 296) reported using energy drinks in the past 30 days, whereas 25.3% (n = 153) reported using prescription stimulant drugs in the past 30 days. Among prescription stimulant users without a valid medical prescription, Mann-Whitney U tests and logistic regression analysis revealed that the frequency of energy drink consumption was a significant predictor of illicit prescription stimulant use, with the odds for use increasing by 14% with each additional day of energy drink use (odds ratio for using = 1.143, P ≤ .001). Analyses revealed statistically significant differences (P < .05) between prescription stimulant users and nonusers for all energy drink use variables, with the strongest predictors of prescription stimulant use being the number of days using energy drinks in the past 30 days and number of energy drink binges in the past 30 days. Conclusions: Results indicate that the frequency of energy drink use was a significant predictor of the illicit use of prescription stimulants.

Keywords:

• Energy drinks (EDs)
• illicit prescription stimulant use
• nonmedical prescription use

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Conrad L. Woolsey designed the study and was the primary researcher and main author for the manuscript. Ronald D. Williams, Jr., co-authored the manuscript and assisted in statistical analysis. Bert H. Jacobson assisted in writing the manuscript. Jeff M. Housman conducted statistical analyses and assisted in writing the manuscript. Jason D. McDonald, Julie H. Swartz, Marion W. Evans, Jr., Thomas E. Sather, Adam E. Barry, and Robert T. Davidson each assisted in the literature review, as well as writing and reviewing the manuscript.

Funding

This study was funded by the primary researcher's previous university (Logan University, College of Health Sciences, Chesterfield, Missouri) through an internal faculty research grant. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.