The Negative Effects of Energy Drinks and Alcohol

Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks In recent years the consumption of energy drinks combined with alcohol has become popular for young adults in North America. Energy drinks are caffeinated beverages that intend to provide a burst of energy and/or enhance alertness. The principle active ingredients in energy drinks are caffeine, high doses of sugar (or a sugar substitute), they generally include B vitamins, an amino acid, and plant/herbal extracts. Alcohol is a highly addictive and most commonly abused drug in North America that can impair vision, speech, memory, concentration, and reaction times along with other things. These energy drinks being a stimulant combined with alcohol being a depressant, can make a deadly cocktail for many reasons. The consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks is a common drinking behavior on college campuses. Here are some premixed alcohol and energy drink products that are commonly consumed on campuses such as; Sparks, Rockstar 21, Tilt and Four Loko. Four Loko has five times the amount of calories than an average twelve-ounce beer at 660 calories per can. Alcoholic energy drinks have a higher concentration of alcohol by volume. Most of these drinks are between 10% and 12% alcohol by volume as compared to most beers that are 3% to 4% alcohol by volume. This could be a major health factor for the consumers of this product. It also leads up to obesity and heart related problems. Students would lose focus while being intoxicated, not focusing on their school work needed to graduate. Researchers have found that college students who use alcohol mixed with energy drinks tend to consume more alcohol and consume alcohol more often than those who do not combine alcohol with energy drinks (O'Brian et al., 2008; Thombs et al., 2010). Energy drinks combined with alcohol are not safe for consumption. Energy drink consumption combined with alcohol may reduce perception of alcohol intoxication and/or lead to increased alcohol use.