Dangers of Mixing Energy Drinks with Alcohol

Venom, Red Bull, Rockstar, Adrenaline Rush – there are a host of energy drinks on the market that are purported to provide drinkers with a quick energy boost that will help them get through the next two to five hours.

Their use in general may be no more or less safe than regularly drinking coffee but when energy drinks are combined with alcohol, they become extremely dangerous to the drinker.

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The combination of an energy drink with vodka and maybe a splash of cranberry or orange juice is a popular cocktail among young adults. Not only does it give them the alcohol buzz they’re looking for, but the caffeine in the energy drink gives them the energy to keep drinking.

Unfortunately, the effects of the caffeine can mask the effects of the alcohol, making drinkers feel as if they’ve had less to drink than they actually have. As a result, many drinkers will end up drinking more and more alcohol – far more than is safe – and not realize just how intoxicated they are until it’s too late and they are behind the wheel or making other poor decisions that could be life-altering or life-ending.

Dangers

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), combining the use of alcohol and energy drinks can lead to excessive drinking that can translate into a number of deadly issues both in the short-term and in the long term if practiced regularly. They say that:

• Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is very popular among people under the age of 25. An estimated 31 percent of drinkers between the ages of 12 and 17 combine the two substances regularly as do about 34 percent of drinkers between the ages of 18 and 24.
• Though caffeine masks the “depressant” effects of alcohol that make it clear to the drinker that he or she is under the influence, it does nothing to aid in the metabolism of alcohol by the liver. Thus, though the person does not feel drunk, they may still have a high level of alcohol in their system that can impair their physical and cognitive functioning when the caffeine wears off.
• Drinkers who like to drink energy drinks with alcohol are reportedly three times more likely to binge drink than drinkers who choose another mixer or alcoholic beverage.
• Poor choices under the influence are more common among drinkers who mix energy drinks with alcohol as compared to drinkers who choose other drinking options. Energy drink/alcohol drinkers are twice as likely to report being the victim or perpetrator of sexual assault and/or to report getting in the car with someone who was under the influence.

Making Changes

For some, simply knowing that the practice of mixing alcohol with energy drinks is dangerous is enough to convince them to make different choices at the bar. For others, however, the problem isn’t just the mixer they choose but the amount of alcohol they drink under any circumstances.

When an alcohol abuse problem becomes apparent, the sooner that treatment is sought, the better. Alcohol poisoning, acute medical emergency caused by drinking too much, and a range of other problems are risks taken every single time someone chooses to binge drink. Getting help early in the process can also help to mitigate the long-term effects of heavy drinking.

Learn more about the treatment services that can help you or your loved one stop drinking today. Contact us at the phone number listed above now.