A new craze, mixing alcohol with energy drinks, can lead to higher risk of injury and other alcohol related consequences. According to a study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, college students are mixing energy drinks and alcohol in order to drink more and drink longer. Over 4,000 college students from 10 universities were involved in this 300 question survey about drinking. The results showed that students who consumed alcohol mixed with energy drinks were:
- Twice as likely to be hurt or injured,
- twice as likely to require medical attention and
- twice as likely to ride with an intoxicated driver
than students who did not consume alcohol mixed with energy drinks.
Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant, so drinking them together can mask the impairment caused by alcohol. Therefore the stimulant blocks the effects of the alcohol and you do not feel impaired even when your alcohol levels are high. The Food and Drug Administration limits caffeine to 65 milligrams per serving of a food or beverage. Energy drinks may contain up to 300 milligrams in one single serving since they are not yet regulated by the FDA.
As the popularity of energy drinks rises, so does that of mixing them with alcohol. There are now alcoholic drinks that are already mixed with the energy drinks, like Joose and Four Loko. According to the Wall Street Journal, more frugal buyers are opting for these already mixed drinks.
