The Dangers of Energy Drinks With Alcohol

Making cocktails is both an art and hobby and many people, especially students, make their own recipes sometimes mixing energy drinks with alcohol.

Whether a great recipe or a stupid idea, mixing alcohol with energy drinks has the word ‘bad’ written all over it. The popular energy drink Red Bull is one of the primary ingredients of these dangerous cocktails with drug-like effects. An additional rule to the anti-drunk driving rule should be the anti-energy drink plus liquor rule.

What makes energy drinks with alcohol such a bad thing? Here are some of the things you should know with regards to the dangers of energy drinks with alcohol:

Alcoholic beverages are depressants, while the caffeine in energy drinks are stimulants. Funny as this may sound, it isn’t funny when you’re out driving alone or with buddies. Despite having a clear perception, your locomotor skills are in fact muddled up, and you just can’t recognize it. One is bound to get hurt or killed in such a state of mind.

Energy drinks alone contain some substances that pose health risks, these are: caffeine, ephedrine, ginseng, taurine and other herbal supplements. Since energy drinks are not part of FDA regulations, companies can include high amounts of these substances. The interaction of these ingredients with the compounds found in alcohol make it more dangerous. The effects of certain drugs, herbs, additives, and medications may prove lethal when mixed with alcohol, which is why mixing energy drinks with liquor is not advised. Each person has a different biological make-up that responds differently to energy drinks with alcohol. It may range from a slight itch, tingling, dizziness, or worse-a heart attack! In fact, it was reported in Science Daily that cardiopulmonary dangers are possible when taking energy drinks with alcohol.

Energy drinks with alcohol can be a trigger for alcoholic dependence later on. The alcohol tastes so much better and makes one feel more alert. This depressant/stimulant effect is definitely addictive as more younger people practice mixing energy drinks with alcohol.

As of now, energy drinks are unregulated by the FDA. Regardless of the lack of regulation, one should still act responsibly while consuming it. The ancient maxim, ‘too much of a good thing is bad’ should always apply.