Mixing energy drinks and liquor makes a deadly cocktail

Alcoholic energy-drink cocktails are popular among young Americans, but the mixture can be dangerous for them as they fool them into thinking they are less drunk than they really are, warns the new study.

Energy drink, alcohol- a dangerous mix
In their study, the UF researchers found that college-age drinkers who mixed energy drinks with liquor were three times more likely to leave a bar intoxicated than their counterparts who consumed only alcohol.

Those who drank alcohol mixed with an energy drink were also four times more likely to intend to drive after drinking compared to the alcohol-only drinkers, according to the study.

“When caffeine is mixed with alcohol it overcomes the sedating effects of alcohol, and people may perceive that they are less intoxicated than they really are,” said Dennis Thombs, the study’s lead researcher, in a press release. “This may lead people to drink more or make uninformed judgments about whether they are safe to drive.”

Dangerous mix causes misconception
Researchers at University of Florida warn that mixing energy drinks with alcohol can be a cocktail for disaster, because it can lead to higher rates of drunkenness and impaired driving.

The study’s lead researcher Dennis Thombs, PhD, and colleagues think that alcoholic energy drinks are a growing danger because they give people the false perception that they are safe and in control.

Study details
To reach their findings, the UF research team conducted some exit interviews of bar patrons in 2008. To estimate the danger these mixed drinks might have in an actual drinking environment, the team interviewed more than 800 randomly selected college-age patrons leaving bars between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

The researchers asked the participants about their drink consumption, drinking behavior, drinking history, and their intention to drive that night. They also had breathalyzer tests to determine their blood alcohol levels.

According to WebMd, 6.5 percent had drunk alcohol-energy drink combos, 6.6 percent had drunk energy drinks and alcohol, but not mixed together, and 86 percent had drunk alcohol only.

The average breath alcohol reading for those who reported mixing alcohol and energy drinks was 0.109, higher than the legal driving limit of 0.08. The average breath alcohol concentration for those who had liquor only was 0.081.

The researchers also found that bar patrons who combined alcohol and energy drinks drank for longer periods of time, and were four times more likely to say they planned to drive within an hour of leaving the bar, compared to those who drank alcohol only.

Those who mix caffeine and alcohol experience what they call "wide awake and drunk," explains study co-author Bruce Goldberger, who is professor of toxicology at the UF School of Medicine.

“There’s a very common misconception that if you drink caffeine with an alcoholic beverage the stimulant effect of the caffeine counteracts the depressant effect of the alcohol and that is not true,” Goldberger said. “We know that caffeine aggravates the degree of intoxication, which can lead to risky behaviors.”

Thombs said their findings demonstrate that there “definitely is reason for concern and more research is needed."

"We don't know what self-administered caffeine levels bar patrons are reaching, what are safe and unsafe levels of caffeine, and what regulations or policies should be implemented to better protect bar patrons or consumers in general," Thombs concluded.