A Canada-based study has revealed a link between traumatic brain injuries and high amounts of energy drinks consumption among the teenagers in the country.

The study suggested that the teenagers who reported traumatic brain injuries are likely to have consumed high amounts of energy drinks than those without a history of TBI.

According to the research, teens who reported sustaining a TBI within the past year, were at least twice as likely to have consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol than teens who reported sustaining a TBI more than a year previously.

The study also revealed that the teens, who reported suffering a TBI in the past year while playing sports, were twice as likely to consume energy drinks as teens who reported a TBI from other injuries in the same time period.

The research was funded by a Team Grant from Canadian Institutes of Health Research and by funds from the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, AUTO21 and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

St. Michael’s Hospital neurosurgeon Michael Cusimano said: "We’ve found a link between increased brain injuries and the consumption of energy drinks or energy drinks mixed with alcohol.

"This is significant because energy drinks have previously been associated with general injuries, but not specifically with TBI."

The study involved a self-administered, in-classroom Health Survey with the participation of over 10,000 students aged 11 to 20 years.

Data for the research was collected by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use.

About 22 % of the students reported they had experienced a TBI, which in turn was defined to them as an injury resulting in the loss of consciousness for at least five minutes or being hospitalised for at least one night.

Senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and director of the OSDUHS Robert Mann said: "It is particularly concerning to see that teens who report a recent TBI are also twice as likely to report consuming energy drinks mixed with alcohol.

"While we cannot say this link is causal, it’s a behaviour that could cause further injury and so we should be looking at this relationship closely in future research."

The new study is expected to help medical professionals, parents, teachers and coaches understand how to better prevent, diagnose and treat brain injuries.