Energy drinks, as shown initially in a study by Arria et al. (2011),
were also associated with patterns of alcohol dependence. However,
the individual effect of energy drink use on alcohol problems did not
eclipse the predictive power of AmED consumption in our model. As
AmED is a mixture of energy drinks and alcohol, it might be expected
for both alcohol and energy drinks to eclipse the predictive variance in
AmED consumption (as AmED is a combination of both of those factors).
However, the present study found that AmED consumption powerfully
predicted patterns of alcohol dependence above and beyond the sum of
its parts (alcohol and energy drinks), as well as personality traits like
impulsiveness and sensation seeking.