Women are consuming risky amounts of energy drinks instead of food in a bid to lose weight amid a rise in the development of eating disorders, the NHS mental health tsar has warned.
The drinks are often marketed as “healthy” and even sold in gyms, but they are very low in calories and can also suppress appetite if they contain high caffeine content, which eating disorder specialists say makes them vulnerable to “abuse.”
Claire Murdoch, national director for mental health at NHS England, said this week she was “concerned” by the trend, which has echoes of the 1990s trend of consuming large quantities of caffeinated Diet Coke, rather than eating it.
Ms Murdoch also criticised drinks makers for marketing their products to young people as “a quick way to lose weight”.
His comments came as the Government prepares to ban the sale of drinks to under-18s and, speaking to MailOnline, mental health specialists echoed Murdoch’s concerns.
The energy drink trend has echoes of a similar trend in the 1990s of consuming large quantities of caffeinated Diet Coke instead of eating
Huel, which made its name as a meal replacement brand, says its energy drink “contains all the vitamins you need.”
Energy drink brands that experts fear are being used to supplement meals claim to have some kind of health or fitness benefit, even if they don’t directly advertise weight loss (Huel ad pictured)
Tom Quinn, from the eating disorders charity Beat, said: ‘People with eating disorders often try to restrict the amount of food they eat. drinking excessive amounts of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee or energy drinks, instead of eating balanced meals.
‘The first symptoms of eating disorders are often behavioural or psychological rather than physical (for example, drinking a lot of energy drinks before noticeable weight loss occurs).’
There has been a marked 52 percent increase since the pandemic in the number of young patients referred to a specialist with an eating disorder.
Ms Murdoch, a mental health nurse, told The Telegraph: “Manufacturers and influencers should not be promoting these drinks to young people as a quick way to lose weight.
‘We urge everyone not to replace their meals with energy drinks.’
Many of the brands claim to have nutritional benefits, but consuming too many of them instead of real food could make people dangerously ill, Murdoch warns.
There is now a wide range of energy drink brands available in various flavours, enriched with vitamins and minerals and low in calories.
The number of referrals to eating disorder services increased from 19,244 in 2018-19 to 29,165 in 2022-23
The number of referrals to eating disorder services increased from 19,244 in 2018-19 to 29,165 in 2022-23.
An NHS study found that 77.5 per cent of young women aged 17 to 19 may have some form of eating disorder, while 20.8 per cent had a confirmed eating disorder.
What contains caffeine and how much is safe to drink?
- Coffee, tea, cola drinks and energy drinks contain high amounts of caffeine.
- Caffeinated drinks are not suitable for babies and young children.
- Pregnant women should not consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day because high levels of caffeine can cause babies to have low birth weight.
- The NHS suggests that more than 600mg of coffee per day (six cups) is too much and can cause anxiety, insomnia and palpitations.
- A cup of instant coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine.
- Energy drinks can contain 80mg of caffeine in a small 250ml can. This is equivalent to two cans of cola or a small cup of coffee.
- The NHS recommends drinking tea and coffee as part of a balanced diet.
- But caffeinated drinks can cause the body to produce urine more quickly.
On the social media platform Reddit, there are numerous posts from an anonymous eating disorder community revealing how people abuse energy drinks for their high-energy, zero-calorie effects. The posts even explain how they can mimic a feeling of satiety.
The energy drink brands that experts worry about because they are used to supplement meals claim to have some kind of health or fitness benefit, even if they don’t directly advertise that they help with weight loss.
Tenzing, Purdy’s and Perfect Ted all claim to contain “natural” ingredients and low calories.
Celsius claims it can “speed up your metabolism” in addition to providing energy.
Huel, which made its name as a meal replacement brand, says its energy drink “contains all the vitamins you need.”
However, scientists have debunked the myth that energy drinks can promote weight loss.
In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a systematic evaluation review on whether artificial sweeteners are beneficial for weight control.
But they found that people with high consumption tended to have a higher risk of having a higher body mass index and were 76 percent more likely to be obese.
Health concerns have previously been raised over the consumption of highly caffeinated drinks by under-16s.
Many supermarket chains across the country have already introduced a voluntary ban on selling products to minors, but the Labour Party is keen to make it mandatory.
“Irresponsible” sales and marketing of energy drinks are “causing a health crisis in children” that affects their concentration, sleep and even their mental health, the Labour Party claims.
Drinks like Red Bull, Prime and Monster can have up to 150 mg of caffeine, almost twice as much as black coffee.
Energy drinks have sky-high levels of ingredients that have powerful effects on the body. Some brands can have up to 160 mg of caffeine, almost three times as much as instant coffee, nearly 10 times the level of taurine, an amino acid commonly found in meat, fish and eggs, as a salmon fillet and the same amount of sugar as a full-fat Coca-Cola.
With some brands available for as little as 25p a can, many energy drinks can be cheaper than bottled water and are a popular pick-me-up among young people.
But consuming too many too often could have serious consequences, from an increased risk of heart complications and cancer to depression, studies also suggest.
In the 1980s, amid a boom in weight-loss media, Diet Coke, which contains artificial sweeteners instead of sugar and zero calories, was heavily promoted as a health drink.
The ads featured models in swimsuits or sportswear at the gym and slogans like, “To look good and feel good.” However, the drink also became synonymous with the Diet Coke Diet: skipping meals and “filling up” on diet sodas.
A 2013 study published in the journal Eating Disorders found that patients with eating disorders consumed more diet soda than those in the study’s non-eating disorder control group.
Beat’s Tom Quin added: ‘We urge anyone who notices warning signs in themselves or a loved one to visit their GP without delay, or encourage the person affected to do so.
‘Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses, but full recovery is possible, and this is more likely the sooner a person gets the help they need.’
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