Energy drinks are very popular amongst the
general population, especially amongst teenagers. With the rise in the trend of
consumption of such energy drinks which are high in caffeine, there has also
been a significant rise in the trend of mixing such energy drinks with alcohol
to make alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol mixed along with energy drinks
helps mask the taste of the alcohol as well as give the person drinking the
opportunity to stand on their feet longer than one could by directly consuming
such alcohol. Energy drinks make for great substitutes for dilution of alcohol.
However, they are not good for the body and can seriously affect one’s health
and in rare cases, even cause death.
What
are energy drinks?
Energy drinks are beverages which are high
in their caffeine content. They also have other ingredients such as vitamin B,
sugar, guarana, and taurine. Energy drinks are often advertised to be safe for
consumption and give the drinker a boost in his or her mental or/and physical
stimulation.
Energy drinks are said to contain 40 to 240
grams of caffeine in them. Although energy drinks are known to provide for
physical as well as mental stimulation, their consumption can also cause
anxiety, irregular heartbeat, increased blood
pressure, and
thickening of the blood.
Since energy drinks themselves can affect
the body so severely, it shall come as no surprise that mixing such energy
drinks with alcohol can also have consequences dire to the health of the person
who is consuming such a mixture. Thus, the article further explains the effects
and risk factors of mixing alcohol with energy drinks.
Effects Of Mixing Alcohol And Energy Drinks
Even though a popular trend, mixing alcohol
with energy drinks is not an ideal concoction for your drinking days. The ill
effects of energy drinks themselves are serious enough. However, such a mixture
of alcohol with energy drinks is a toxic concoction.
The effects of mixing alcohol with energy
drinks are-
Being
wide awake drunk: Mixing
the drinks creates two kinds of stimulations, one where the alcohol makes the
brain fuzzy and sleepy, and the second where the caffeine makes the brain
active, this results in a person being wide awake drunk and also at risk of
consuming more alcohol than they should.
Alcohol poisoning: Mixing alcohol with energy drinks can also
cause alcohol poisoning and would require a trip to the ER for pumping of the
stomach.
Alcohol overdose: One may even end up overdosing on alcohol
if they do not have a check on the amount of alcohol (mixed or not) they
consume. This could be fatal if immediate attention is not given.
Risky behavior: Being wide awake drunk also encourages
risky behaviour such as doing things that could put your life in danger and
things you would not normally do.
Caffeine overdose: Caffeine overdose can seriously affect a
person and can give them problems such as Sleep
Disorders,
mental disorders, etc.
Risks Of Alcoholic Energy Drinks
Drinking alcohol as a social predicament is
something everyone has heard of once in a while. However, there are a few risk
factors attached to it that can encourage risky behaviors that could place
your life in jeopardy. The Risk factors of alcoholic energy drinks that
encourage people to take up drinking are-
- Peer pressure
- Sense of belonging
- Binge drinking
- Low self-esteem/ self-worth
- High-stress levels
Problem
of teenage drinking
The common age group that is affected due to such
mixing of alcohol and energy drinks are teenagers and young adults. The effects of
alcohol on teenagers and young adults are very dangerous and can seriously harm their health.
It has been studied that when such mixing
of alcohol and energy drinks occurs, it creates the same kind of stimulation
that cocaine would create. Those consuming such a mixture are putting not only
themselves but also people around them at risk as it increases the possibility
of such behavior that could be life-threatening.
As mentioned above, such a mixture can
create a stimulation similar to the one caused by cocaine. This affects the
brain and hampers with a person’s thinking, which may even continue into their
adult lives. The person may not even be able to feel good in circumstances
which are joyous as the brain could become numb to any kind of emotion.
Conclusion
Everything Health is a motto that every person should live
by. Social drinking is a norm accepted worldwide as well as a norm that does
not affect a person’s health seriously, as the body is healthy enough to
recover from at least one night of abuse. However, constantly subjecting
yourself to such a habit could seriously affect your health and your
relationships with your loved ones as well. Therefore, take immense care in
matters such as these.
Relate
article-