Effects of consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks versus consuming alcohol only on overall alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to examine differences in alcohol consumption and its consequences when consumed alone and when mixed with energy drinks.MethodsA survey was conducted among Dutch students at Utrecht University and the College of Utrecht. We collected data on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences of alcohol consumed alone and/or alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AMED). The data were analyzed using a retrospective within-subject design, comparing occasions when subjects consumed AMED with those when they consumed alcohol only in the past 30 days.ResultsA representative sample of 6002 students completed the survey, including 1239 who consumed AMED. Compared with consuming alcohol only, when consuming AMED, students consumed significantly fewer alcoholic drinks on an average drinking day (6.0 versus 5.4, respectively), and reported significantly fewer drinking days in the previous month (9.2 versus 1.4), significantly fewer days being drunk (1.9 versus 0.5), and significantly fewer occasions of consuming more than four (female)/five (male) alcoholic drinks (4.7 versus 0.9). The maximum number of mixed alcoholic drinks (4.5) in the previous month was significantly lower when compared with occasions when they consumed alcohol only (10.7). Accordingly, the mean duration of a drinking session was significantly shorter when mixing alcoholic drinks (4.0 versus 6.0 hours). Finally, when consuming AMED, significantly fewer alcohol-related consequences were reported (2.6) for the previous year, including driving a car while intoxicated, taking foolish risks, or being injured or hurt, as compared with alcohol-related consequences when consuming alcohol only (4.9).ConclusionMixing alcohol with energy drinks decreases overall alcohol consumption, and decreases the likelihood of experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences.

Motives for mixing alcohol with energy drinks and other nonalcoholic beverages, and consequences for overall alcohol consumption

“…The biggest advantage of using a within-subjects design is that the same subjects are examined on different occasions, so the study results are not influenced or biased by pre-existing differences between subjects or groups, such as personality characteristics and the level of risk-taking behavior. Recent studies that have adopted this within-subjects design have found no significant or meaningful increases in overall alcohol consumption and its negative consequences when alcohol was mixed with an energy drink 8–12. Hence, the presumed negative effects of energy drinks found with between-groups comparisons may not be the result of whether people mix alcohol with an energy drink or not, but the results rather reflect other pre-existing differences between the groups (for example personality differences).…”

“Wired,” Yet Intoxicated: Modeling Binge Caffeine and Alcohol Co‐Consumption in the Mouse

“…There is some evidence that energy drink co-consumption is associated increased alcohol intake (O’Brien et al, 2008, O’Brien et al, 2013, Thombs et al, 2010), although this has not been consistently demonstrated (Verster et al, 2012, de Haan et al, 2012). An additional concern is that co-consumption has been associated with an increased risk for dangerous behavior such as driving under the influence (Thombs et al, 2010), unwanted sexual encounters (O’Brien et al, 2013) and aggression (Jones et al, 2012).…”

“…An additional concern is that co-consumption has been associated with an increased risk for dangerous behavior such as driving under the influence (Thombs et al, 2010), unwanted sexual encounters (O’Brien et al, 2013) and aggression (Jones et al, 2012). The notion that caffeinated alcohol consumption is more hazardous has been contested, however, arguing that the likely higher incidence of co-consumption among sensation-seeking persons muddies the relationship (de Haan et al, 2012). Contradictory evidence recently showed, however, that co-consumption was associated with higher odds of hazardous behavior; even after controlling for sensation seeking tendency and the amount of alcohol consumed (O’Brien et al, 2013).…”

A daily diary examination of caffeine mixed with alcohol among college students.

“…Such designs may be particularly beneficial in studying CAB use given recent evidence demonstrating substantial intraindividual variability in CAB use and associated consequences among users (Lau-Barraco, Milletich, & Linden, 2014; Mallett, Marzell, Scaglione, Hultgren, & Turrisi, 2014). In addition, because of the limitations of between-subject designs, such methodology has been called into question when studying the effects of CABs (de Haan, de Haan, der, Palen, Olivier, & Verster, 2012). That is, some researchers suggest that the link between CAB use and negative outcomes is better explained by one’s impulsivity or propensity toward engaging in risky behaviors in general.…”