Mixing energy drinks with liquor may add more kick to your drink, but Science Daily reports that this may have serious physical repercussions.
Researchers Megan Patrick of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and Jennifer Maggs of Penn State University surveyed 652 college students about their alcohol and energy drink consumption within the duration of four semesters.
They found that mixing these two caused the participants to drink heavier and to become more intoxicated than usual.
This raises the risk of alcohol poisoning and becoming a “wide-awake drunk,” a state which makes it impossible for them to tell how intoxicated they really are. This causes drinkers to believe that they are sober enough to do activities that require focus, such as driving.
“Our findings suggest that the use of energy drinks and alcohol together may lead to heavier drinking and more serious alcohol-related problems,” says Patrick.
“As energy drinks become more and more popular, we should think about prevention strategies for reducing the negative consequences of using energy drinks and of combining energy drinks with alcohol.”
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