Researchers warn about risks of energy drinks combined with alcohol
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Researchers warn that mixing alcohol with energy drinks can have negative health and personal consequences.
In a small study that included 75 people researchers found booze plus energy drinks can lead to the following:
Increased desire for alcohol
Hayley Hamilton, a scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and co-investigator of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey aid people mix energy drinks with booze because they think they can drink more.
But the combination can drive desire for more alcohol from the stimulating effect of caffeine.
“We normally think of alcohol as a depressant, but it also has a stimulant effect, and it is this stimulant effect that is most strongly related to how much we like alcohol, and whether we want to keep drinking," says lead author Rebecca McKetin, a fellow with the Center for Research on Aging, Health and Well-being at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Greater chance of high-risk behavior
Energy drink “cocktails” puts people at greater risk for other high-risk behaviors including drunk driving.
According to EmaxHealth.com researchers are concerned the trend that is especially prevalent among young people could also lead to bing-drinking.
Alcohol addiction
According to the study authors energy drinks that blunt the effects of alcohol intoxication could lead to alcohol addiction.
The researchers say more studies are needed to understand how energy drinks might increase the rewarding properties of alcohol that can lead to addiction.
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