A published study finds that mixing energy drinks with alcohol may increase the risk of impaired driving. The data was collected in April 2008 in a drinking district in Gainesville, near the University of Florida. The findings were interesting, as you can see:
“These findings corroborate previous studies using different methods and suggest that at the event-level, combining the stimulant effect of energy drinks with alcohol reduces the symptomatic lethargy associated with drunkenness, which may lead drinkers to underestimate their levels of intoxication and consume larger quantities of alcohol. However, a second potential explanation for these findings may involve chronic heavy drinking: that is, over time alcohol tolerance may be increased by habitually consuming energy drinks mixed with alcohol. The possibility that combining energy drinks with alcohol may contribute to a chronic pattern of drinking producing elevated tolerance is supported by one laboratory study which found that a history of combined alcohol and caffeine administration increased alcohol tolerance compared with an exposure history to either drug alone.”
| Percent Male | 61% | 82% | 71% |
| Hours Spent Drinking (mean) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.9 |
| No. of Drinks Consumed (mean) | 6.2 | 7.3 | 9.0 |
| BrAC (g/210L) (mean) | 0.081 | 0.078 | 0.109 |
Thombs, D.L., O'Mara, R.J., Tsukamoto, M., Rossheim, M.E., Weiler, R.M., Merves, M.L., and Goldberger, B.A., “Event-Level Analyses of Energy Drink Consumption and Alcohol Intoxication in Bar Patrons”, Addictive Behaviors, 35: 325-330, 2010 (3 tables, 22 references)