Energy drink mixers were more likely to be victims or perpetrators of aggressive sexual behavior. The study, published this month in Academic Emergency Medicine, showed that students who mixed energy drinks with alcohol got drunk twice as often as those who consumed alcohol by itself and were far more likely to be injured or require medical treatment while drinking. O'Brien surveyed energy drink and alcohol use among college students at 10 universities in North Carolina. "You're every bit as drunk, you're just an awake drunk," said Mary Claire O'Brien, associate professor in the departments of emergency medicine and public health services at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina The addition of caffeine can make alcohol users feel less drunk, but motor coordination and visual reaction time are just as impaired as when they drink alcohol by itself, according to an April 2006 study in the medical journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Another worry is the increasing popularity of mixing energy drinks with alcohol. One concern about the drinks is that because they are served cold, they may be consumed in larger amounts and more quickly than hot coffee drinks, which are sipped. At Starbucks, the caffeine content varies depending on the drink, from 75 milligrams in a 12-ounce cappuccino or latte to as much as 250 milligrams in a 12-ounce brewed coffee. Stevens points out that "mainstream" energy drinks often have less caffeine than a cup of coffee. Higher on the spectrum, Spike Shooter contains 428 milligrams of caffeine in 12 ounces, and Wired X344 contains 258. Monster has 120 milligrams and Red Bull has 116. A 12-ounce serving of Amp contains 107 milligrams of caffeine, compared with 34 to 38 milligrams for the same amount of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. He says the marketing is meant for "people who can actually afford the two or three bucks to buy the products."Ĭaffeine content varies.
"The intended audience is adults," said Craig Stevens, a spokesman. The American Beverage Association says its members don't market energy drinks to teenagers. "It appears the kids who are heavily into drinking energy drinks are more likely to be the ones who are inclined toward taking risks," Miller said. But the data suggest that regular consumption of energy drinks may be a red flag for parents that their children are more likely to take risks with their health and safety. The finding doesn't mean the drinks cause bad behavior. The study's author, Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo, says it suggests that high consumption of energy drinks is associated with "toxic jock" behavior, a constellation of risky and aggressive behaviors including unprotected sex, substance abuse and violence.
In March, The Journal of American College Health published a report on the link between energy drinks, athletics and risky behavior. New research suggests the drinks are associated with a health issue far more worrisome than the jittery effects of caffeine - risk taking.
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