According to a recent assessment of previous studies, those who mix alcohol with energy drinks may have a higher chance of getting injured when intoxicated than those who only consume alcohol.
The researchers examined data from 13 earlier investigations, which were carried out between 2008 and 2015. Participants in these experiments either drank alcohol alone or alcohol in combination with energy drinks. In 10 of the studies, those who combined alcohol with energy drinks were more likely to sustain injuries than those who only drank alcohol. These wounds came from car crashes, slips and falls, or other wounds received while intoxicated, such as wounds from fights.
The review, for instance, found that high school students who mixed alcohol with energy drinks were four times more likely to get into a car accident after drinking than those who drank alcohol alone. An additional 2014 study discovered that youths who mixed alcohol with energy drinks were four times more likely to fight and five times more likely to suffer an alcohol-related injury. This was in comparison to kids who only drank alcohol.
The theory suggests that the caffeine in energy drinks would slightly counteract the drowsy effects of alcohol. Researchers claim that “after drinking alcohol, you usually feel tired and go home.” Energy drinks cover that up, which leads people to misjudge their state of intoxication, stay out later, consume more alcohol, engage in riskier behavior, and develop hazardous drinking patterns.
To corroborate the findings, additional study is required because the review’s papers had a number of flaws. The trials were all conducted at one time, and some of them did not ask participants to report injuries that happened after consuming alcohol coupled with energy drinks. Instead, these studies questioned participants whether they drank alcohol along with energy drinks and then, in a different question, asked them to describe any injuries they had sustained as a result of drinking. This means that the researchers are unable to demonstrate that mixing alcohol and energy drinks led to the increased risk of harm.
Studies have also revealed that there may be another element that influences both people’s usage of energy drinks and risk of injury. It’s not obvious how much this propensity for taking chances contributes to the higher risk of injury reported in the research, but persons who are more impulsive or risk-takers are also more likely to drink alcohol alongside energy drinks.
The researchers added that they were unable to combine the results to determine the magnitude of the injury risk since the studies included in the evaluation differed greatly in how they were carried out.
In order to further comprehend the connection between ingesting alcohol coupled with other drugs, the researchers involved in the new review are currently performing another study utilizing data from emergency department visits. The review is published in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.