In South Korea, where academic success often comes at the cost of sleep and well-being, students like Ye-jin turn to high-caffeine drinks to fuel their grueling study routines.

Ye-jin, a high school student in the Seoul metropolitan area, began consuming energy drinks in middle school. Now, she drinks up to two cans a day, plus coffee, especially during exam periods.

“I rely on them because I get sleepy while studying, and I believe I shouldn’t fall asleep,” she said.

Her daily routine is demanding: “I wake up at 6:30 a.m. and go to school. Right after school, I go to a private cram school until 8:00 p.m. After that, I go to a study cafe and end up going home at 12:00 a.m. I usually sleep 5 hours a day.”

Ye-jin’s lifestyle is not unique among her peers in South Korea, where students dedicate themselves to their studies day and night. Many consume high-caffeine drinks out of necessity to meet the demands of an ultra-competitive academic system and stay alert during exams.

“I drink energy drinks every day, usually one can or up to two cans,” Jin-seo, Ye-jin’s classmate, told Korea Pro. 

Medical professionals recommend that people aged 12 to 17 consume less than 100mg of caffeine per day, which is about one cup of coffee’s worth. However, energy drinks can contain as much as 250mg of caffeine, in addition to high sugar content.

Moreover, a web-based survey by the Korea Youth Risk Behavior (KYRB) group reported an alarming increase in the proportion of students consuming high-caffeine beverages three or more times per week, from 3.3% in 2015 to 22.3% in 2022.

“I drink energy drinks four to five times a week. Other students drink a lot when they have to study,” Ha-ram, a middle school student in Paju, said.

The early and frequent consumption of these drinks raises significant health concerns, particularly in a country where youth struggle with sleep deprivation, high stress levels, anxiety and low life satisfaction.

RISKS FOR VULNERABLE YOUTH

High-caffeine beverage consumption can improve concentration and prevent sleep, but it also comes with significant risks.

Kim Hyun-kyu, a clinical fellow at Yonsei University’s College of Medicine, who co-authored a study identifying an association between excessive high-caffeine drink consumption and higher anxiety levels in Korean adolescents, warned that these drinks can exacerbate heart palpitations, nervousness and anxiety.

“Caffeinated beverages may worsen symptoms in people who already suffer from mental health problems,” Kim told Korea Pro. “In particular, in cases of anxiety, it can make symptoms worse, and, of course, in the case of insomnia, caffeine can greatly exacerbate it.”

Although definitive evidence linking high caffeine consumption directly to major health issues remains elusive, numerous red flags indicate potential significant harm and an increased risk of anxiety and insomnia, particularly for those already facing dietary and mental health challenges.

South Korean college students using cubicle seats at a cafe to study, May 28, 2023 | Image: Junghyun Song

Considering that almost 70% of adolescents consume energy drinks, South Korean students exhibit various characteristics that make them a physically and psychologically vulnerable group.

For instance, the National Health Insurance Service reports a 60% increase in treatment for depression among teenagers from 2018 to 2022. Moreover, South Korean youth report the fourth-lowest life satisfaction among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, with 65% saying their life is too stressful, much higher than the international average of 49%.

South Korea also has the second-highest suicide rate of people aged 15 to 49 among OECD countries, and about 63% of Korean adolescents sleep less than the recommended eight hours per night.

Addressing this issue is challenging, given the addictive properties of caffeine and sugar.

The long-term effects of anxiety among Korean youth could have significant implications for the country’s future labor force and public health standing relative to international peers. Prolonged exposure to high levels of stress and anxiety may hinder the ability to adapt and socialize in diverse cultural environments.

ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES

South Korean authorities have implemented various measures to combat the excessive consumption of high-caffeine drinks among students, such as labeling products with high caffeine content and initiatives to educate students about the health consequences of excessive caffeine consumption.

Since 2018, high-caffeine products have been banned from school cafeterias and vending machines.

“Within 10 hours a year, there is education provided at schools on various things, including the consequences of caffeine consumption and abuse of alcohol and other drugs,” Kim Tae-hwan, the head of Student Health at the Student Health Policy Division of South Korea’s Ministry of Education, told Korea Pro.

“Since schools do not directly educate parents, promoting home communication about high-caffeine drinks through related materials is being carried out by the relevant ministries,” Kim added.

Recent studies also highlight the correlation between high caffeine consumption and poor overall diets among adolescents, indicating that family education on healthy eating habits is crucial.

“I eat instant ramen about once or three times a week for breakfast. I eat fried chicken and pizza about once or twice a week,” Ji-wan said. “I think I eat instant food almost every day… and I don’t eat breakfast,” Ye-jin added.

Despite prevention efforts, the growing popularity of inexpensive coffee and energy drinks suggests a lack of efficacy.

“Currently, there are no strict regulations or sales restrictions on the consumption of high-caffeine beverages by teenagers, and efforts are limited to a pilot project that sets only recommended daily intakes or promotes warning signs about excessive caffeine intake around schools,” Kim of Yonsei University told Korea Pro.

“The excessive consumption of caffeine is likely due to the highly competitive educational environment in Korea, where students must concentrate while studying and reduce their sleep time. Improving this environment could fundamentally decrease the number of students consuming high levels of caffeine and reduce the anxiety that high caffeine intake can cause,” he added.

Edited by John Lee