Mixing alcohol with caffeine intensifies cravings for more booze, while masking the effects of intoxication

Friday, July 22, 2016 by: Amy Goodrich
Tags: alcohol, caffeine drinks, risks

---

(NaturalNews) Over the years, mixing energy drinks and alcohol has developed into a trend among the younger generation. While RTD (Ready to Drink) alcohol energy drinks, such as Four Loco, are almost impossible to find these days, their disappearance from the market hasn't stopped many youngsters from chasing the caffeinated alcohol kick.

The ban on the once hugely popular pre-mixed energy alcohol drinks simply led to RTD-lovers mixing up their own, such as the famous Jagerbomb or vodka red bull – two favorite party staples at most college parties or nightclubs.

A recent study, however, suggests that there may be some hidden dangers lurking in these popular party drinks.

Stimulating the desire to drink more alcohol

Scientists at Northern Kentucky University found that mixing caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol results in a greater desire to consume more alcohol – more so than if you were just drinking alcohol alone or combined with a non-caffeinated mixer.

For the study, published in the journal Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, scientists asked 26 adult social drinkers – 13 men and 13 women – to drink alcohol, an energy or soft drink, or a combination of both.

Over the course of six days, they were given either: vodka and a decaffeinated soft drink; vodka and a medium energy drink; vodka and a large energy drink; a decaffeinated soft drink; a medium energy drink; or a large energy drink.

After each session, the volunteers were asked to rate their desire for another drink, and their breath alcohol concentration was measured.

The results revealed that the consumption of alcohol in combination with a high-caffeinated energy drink stimulated the desire to drink more, when compared to consuming the same amount of alcohol alone or combined with a non-caffeinated mixer.

According to the researchers, these findings are in line with previous animal studies which also showed an increased craving for alcohol when mixed with an energy drink. They believe that caffeine increases the rewarding and reinforcing properties of alcohol.

Caffeine masks the intoxicating effect

It is actually not the first time that the consumption of energy drinks and alcohol has been proven to be a dangerous combination.

Previous research showed that the caffeine in energy drinks masks the intoxicating effect of alcohol, meaning that people who drink these beverages are prone to drinking too much and often engage in binge drinking.

Another study, conducted at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center, found that teenagers (aged between 15 and 17) who regularly mix energy drinks and alcohol, are four times more likely to develop an alcohol problem later in life.

As reported by the Daily Mail, a Brazilian professor, Roseli Boergnen de Lacerda, warns that there is a significantly higher risk of car accidents because these people don't fully realize how drunk they are.

Furthermore, researchers note that people who drink these mixers are more likely to show problematic behavior such as drunk driving, alcohol abuse and risky sex. The caffeine rush creates a greater sense of balance, making the drinker believe they are not actually drunk.

Energy drinks are bad news

In addition to increasing risky behavior, energy drinks come with a host of other health risks, especially when combined with alcohol. According to the Caffeine Informer, energy drinks, shots and other high-caffeine beverages may lead to cardiac events, seizures and death.

Furthermore, the consumption of these drinks has been linked to developmental problems, poor sleep and an increased risk of aggressive and self-harming behavior. Finally, excessive consumption of the B vitamins present in energy drinks may result in liver and nerve damage.

To help support your liver, try MitoQ liver, a high-quality revolutionary supplement.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

CaffeineInformer.com

Advances.Nutrition.org

OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com

MedicalDaily.com