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According to a recent study done by researchers from Northern Kentucky University, combining alcohol with energy drinks like Red Bull is more dangerous compared to only alcohol consumption. This study was revealed in the Alcoholism : Clinical and Experimental Research journal.
The authors enlightened that having energy-drink cocktails are fashionable and they are anecdotally linked with bad drinking habits, resulting in accidents and injuries. They add, however that not much study is available comparing alcohol consumption alone with that of energy-drink cocktails.
This research measured the levels of intoxication among those who drank plain alcohol with those who combined alcohol and energy drinks. The participants said that they were more stimulated when mixing alcohol in energy drinks. However the impairment levels regarding impulsive behavior did not change, though the researchers suggested that mixing alcohol and energy drinks increase the risks linked with drinking.
Professor Cecile Marczinski, said that young people consume alcohol in different ways compared to those of the past. Traditional mixed drinks like coke and rum are replaced by mixed drinks like yagerbombs which instead use vodka Meanwhile, Amelia Arria, the Director of Development at University of Maryland School of Public Health and Centre on Young Adult Health, said that they have seen sales data which shows that the popularity of energy drinks has risen and they also know anecdotally that they are quite popular, however have few data on the subjective and objective responses which support concern regarding safety of alcohol mixed with energy drinks.
Marczinski added that while consuming alcohol with energy drinks is considered a risky drinking habit, lab evidence demonstrating this fact is very limited. In most, most evidence that this practice is risky emanates from epidemiological studies which have reported increased risks of injuries and accidents associated with the use of energy-drink cocktails.
These studies, however do not deal with the main confound of risky drinkers prone more to heavy drinking are attracted towards these drinks just because they are in fashion. Their study was aimed at demonstrating that energy/ alcohol drinks are distinct pharmacologically from plain alcohol and are increasing the risks associated with drinking.
Marczinski assigned 28 females and males, aged between 21 to 33 in four groups. The groups being, the alcohol group - 0.65 g/kg alcohol, the energy drink group - 3.57 ml/kg energy drink, the alcohol/ energy group - alcohol/ energy, and the placebo group - a placebo beverage (no energy drink or alcohol).
The behaviors of these groups were gauged on tasks measuring how fast they could perform and control their actions after the consumption of alcohol. They were also asked about feelings of stimulation, sedation, impairment, and how intoxicated they were feeling.
Marczinski also said that they found energy drinks altered alcohol reaction experienced by a drinker who consumes plain alcohol. One, who consumes just alcohol without or with the energy drink, will act impulsively in comparison to when they are sober. However, the person who consumed these mixed drinks felt more stimulated in comparison to a consumer who consumes plain alcohol.
Marczinski, said, that the findings from this research provide solid lab evidence that mixing alcohol with energy drinks is more risky than consuming alcohol alone. College students should be more aware of the risks these beverages pose. Clinicians working with these risky drinkers need to steer them away from these drinks.
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