Energy drinks are beverages with high levels of stimulant substances (generally sugar, caffeine, and herbal extracts) marketed as a quick solution to increase mental awareness and physical performance. Red Bull, Monster, and Bang are some of the most popular energy drinks.
Some people enjoy drinking energy drinks and alcohol simultaneously to party longer. As a depressant, alcohol tends to slow you down after enough drinks, leading some to take energy drinks to counteract the effects of alcohol.
As we will see, this combination is problematic and may lead to many undesirable side effects.
The Side Effects of Mixing Energy Drinks and Alcohol
One of the main risks associated with mixing energy drinks and alcohol is the combination of a depressant (alcohol) with a stimulant (the energy drink).
Mixing depressants and stimulants can be risky because the results are unpredictable, often leading to both substances masking each other’s effects. When this happens, it’s easy to believe they’re not affecting you, increasing the likelihood of consuming more of both beverages and suffering more severe side effects from the combination.
Physical Side Effects
The physical side effects of mixing energy drinks and alcohol include the following:
- Alcohol-related injuries. Some evidence suggests that mixing alcohol and energy drinks increases the chances of suffering alcohol-related injuries, such as car wrecks, falls, drownings, and burns.
- Increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Primarily caused by excessive energy drink consumption. Some energy drinks also contain high amounts of sodium, increasing blood pressure.
- Irregular heartbeat. Both drinks may cause irregular heartbeat, making them riskier in combination. This is especially true for people naturally vulnerable to the condition.
- Dehydration. Both drinks make you want to pee, potentially dehydrating you if you pee too much.
- Physical incoordination. Being uncoordinated increases the risk of falling and other alcohol-related injuries.
Cognitive and Behavioral Side Effects
Combining these drinks may also lead to some cognitive and behavioral side effects, such as:
- A stronger desire to drink, as energy drinks, may increase the urge to drink more. The more you drink, the higher the chances of suffering alcohol’s side effects, such as alcohol poisoning.
- Decreased perceived intoxication or being “wide-awake drunk.” Some people may feel like they’re less intoxicated than they are, leading them to drink more alcohol.
- Impaired driving skills, heightening the risk of car accidents.
- Risky sexual behavior from alcohol intoxication, such as unprotected sex.
- Reduced self-control and ability to anticipate the consequences of your actions.
It’s also important to point out that the caffeine in energy drinks doesn’t affect alcohol metabolism.
Long-term Health Side Effects
Consistently mixing these drinks may lead to long-term consequences from individual and combined side effects, such as:
- Chronically elevated blood pressure increases the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and heart diseases.
- Sleep pattern alterations, such as insomnia. Long-term disordered sleeping may also lead to heart disease.
- Chronically high triglycerides from excessive sugar consumption increase the risk of plaque forming in your arteries.
- Gain weight from excessive caloric intake. Alcoholic beverages and energy drinks can increase caloric intake, accelerating weight gain and the potential side effects of being overweight or obese.
- Higher risk of developing alcoholism.
- Weakened immune system, caused by alcohol abuse.
- Long-term alcohol abuse causes sexual dysfunction. Additionally, women may suffer from disrupted menstrual cycles and increased pregnancy complications.
Impact on Teenagers and Young Adults
Teenagers and younger adults are generally more at risk of the side effects of mixing alcohol and energy drinks. The fruity flavors and the high-budget, attractive marketing campaigns for a younger audience make energy drinks more appealing to college-aged adults and underaged teens.
Some data shows that younger people have a preference for this combination. A 2017 survey on adolescent drug use determined that 10.6% of 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade students reported mixing alcohol with energy drinks at least once in the past year. 31.8% of young adults between 19 and 28 did the same.
These statistics are unsurprising, considering that marketing campaigns for caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs, premixed alcoholic-caffeinated drinks) have historically targeted the younger demographic with flashy youth-oriented graphics, often associating them with extreme sports and risk-taking behavior.
In November 2010, however, the FDA warned seven CAB manufacturers their product could not stay in the market, and the manufacturers removed the stimulants from their drinks.
However, banning CABs from the market doesn’t change the fact that mixing alcohol and energy drinks is very easy, leaving teens and college-aged adults vulnerable to their side effects.
Additional factors like peer pressure, inexperience, or lack of knowledge of either drink’s side effects may still make teens and younger people more vulnerable to mixing them.
Educating teens and younger adults close to you about their side effects and long-term consequences is important.
Are Energy Drinks Riskier Than Other Caffeinated Drinks Combined With Alcohol?
In addition to caffeine, many energy drinks contain other ingredients like sugar, ginseng, guarana, and B vitamins. Ginseng, for example, may cause dizziness, sluggishness, drowsiness, and shortness of breath when combined with alcohol.
Mixing alcohol with energy drinks may expose you to the side effects of additional ingredients combined with alcohol (on top of caffeine), depending on the concentration.
How to Minimize Risks?
The best way to mitigate the combined risks of energy drinks and alcohol is not to combine them. Still, you may like the taste or how the caffeine-alcohol combination makes you feel. In those cases, moderation is the name of the game.
Try following these recommendations if you plan to combine energy drinks and alcohol:
- If you like the stimulant effect when you drink alcohol, try to drink a caffeinated drink a few hours before you start consuming alcohol. Even a cup of coffee hours earlier helps you stay more “awake” while drinking.
- Try to avoid energy drinks with high sugar content. Sugary drinks are addictive and may lead you to drinking higher quantities in short periods.
- Drink water between alcoholic or energy drinks. It helps you rehydrate and lessens tomorrow’s hangover.
- Drink only with people you trust.
- Have a plan for returning home that doesn’t include driving.
- If going out with friends, plan where you’re going and stick to that plan. It’ll help control your drinking.
Ultimately, the best solution is not mixing them since mixing energy drinks with alcohol is riskier than only drinking alcohol. But if you combine them, follow the advice above and listen to your body.
When you start to feel too drunk, uncoordinated, or any other side effects of this combo, stop mixing them and rehydrate.
If you or anyone close to you frequently mixes alcohol with energy drinks and suffers consistent side effects, they would likely benefit from talking to a professional and developing coping skills. It’s always possible to overcome substance abuse and dependence with the right support system.
