Association of Coffee and Energy Drink Intake with Suicide Attempts and Suicide Ideation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
PubMed 40507181 · doi:10.3390/nu17111911
What was done
A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and PsycINFO to evaluate the association between caffeine intake (specifically coffee and energy drinks) and suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. Seventeen studies were included, with primary analyses conducted using random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regression.
What was found
No numerical effect sizes, odds ratios, or confidence intervals are reported in the abstract. Coffee consumption of more than 60 cups per month significantly decreased the risk of suicide attempts. Energy drink consumption from as low as one cup per month was significantly associated with an increased risk of both suicide attempts and ideation. Meta-regression showed a strong association between dosage consumed and suicidality outcomes. Male gender and substance usage significantly increased caffeine consumption.
Why it matters
This review highlights divergent associations for different caffeinated beverages, linking high coffee intake with lower suicide risk and energy drink intake with higher risk of ideation and attempts.
Limits
The abstract provides no exact numbers, risk ratios, confidence intervals, or total participant sample size. Because the included studies are observational, causality cannot be determined, and residual confounding from lifestyle, psychiatric comorbidities, and substance use remains a substantial concern.
Cited by
- partial Ninety percent of adults worldwide consume caffeine.