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Every day, people drink caffeine and alcohol, but maybe not together. Many drinks contain both caffeine and alcohol, such as a Jagerbomb, and cocktails like espresso martini.
It’s important to know about the effects of combining caffeine and alcohol, as you are putting yourself more at risk than you might think. Below are 5 key risks of mixing caffeine and alcohol, what the long-term consequences can be and the recovery resources available to you.
What Happens When You Mix Caffeine and Alcohol?
Caffeine and alcohol are opposites. Caffeine is a stimulant, meaning that it makes you feel more alert, while alcohol is a depressant that slows everything down in the central nervous system.
This clash leads to caffeine masking the effects of alcohol. People who drink caffeinated alcohol combinations will feel more awake and alert, even though they are intoxicated and should be sluggish. This feeling can lead people to drink more than they can handle and engage in risky behaviours – such as drunk driving, having unprotected sex or doing something that causes injury.
Mixing Alcohol and Caffeine: Why Do People Do It?
In social settings, drinks such as a vodka Red Bull or coffee cocktails are standard. For the older crowd, drinks such as an Irish coffee after a meal may be drunk because of the misconception that caffeine will help you sober up.
Caffeine does not reduce the alcohol content in your blood. It merely masks the effects.
Clubs are full of younger people drinking heavy amounts of vodka with various mixers whilst drinking pre-mixed caffeinated alcohol drinks beforehand. They drink these drinks to be more energised and confident in these social settings. Younger people want to have fun and meet new people. Caffeinated alcoholic drinks make them believe they are less drunk than they are.
These types of drinks are explicitly marketed for young adults. They are packaged brightly, looking similar to energy drinks they might already consume and in appealing flavours such as fruit punch and sour apple.
5 Key Risks of Mixing Caffeine and Alcohol
There are many risks of mixing caffeine and alcohol; here are the key ones to be aware of.
1. Increased Risk of Binge Drinking
As stated above, caffeine and alcohol have opposite effects. This, however, doesn’t mean they cancel each other out. Instead, caffeine only masks the effects of alcohol – making it seem you are coping well with the amount of alcohol in your system when it isn’t cutting any of it out.
If people don’t feel as drunk, they tend to drink more. There are many binge drinking dangers – getting into accidents, alcohol poisoning, engaging in risky behaviour – and caffeine can increase the risk of these things happening.
Many studies have shown that people, in particular students, who consume caffeine-alcohol combination drinks drink more and exhibit riskier behaviours than those who drink only alcohol. Another study in 2017 found that caffeine increased ethanol intake in mice and concluded that caffeine would influence binge drinking.
2. Higher Risk of Alcohol Poisoning
Caffeine will delay feelings of intoxication, causing you to fly past your tolerance level. If you combine this with other alcohol poisoning risk factors, such as drinking on an empty stomach or mixing alcohol with other substances, then the danger only increases.
Alcohol poisoning is when the alcohol content in your blood is so much that your body cannot process it fast enough.
You should be aware of the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, which include:
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute.)
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
If you or anyone you know shows these symptoms, then medical assistance needs to be sought immediately. Alcohol poisoning is a dangerous medical emergency that can be life-threatening.
3. Increased Dehydration and Heart Strain
Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, meaning they make you urinate more often. Without drinking enough water at the same time, excessive urination can lead to dehydration.
Dehydration can lead to an electrolyte imbalance in your body. Electrolytes are minerals in your body that give off a charge when they dissolve and are important in balancing your body fluids and muscle and nerve function. Dehydration will lead to headaches, fatigue, muscle cramping and poor kidney function.
Caffeine can also cause a strain on your heart. The stimulant effects of caffeine, combined with the effects of alcohol, can lead to increased blood pressure – putting more strain on your heart as it beats faster.
Together, they can cause an irregular heartbeat and poor blood vessel function.
4. Poor Judgement and Risk-Taking Behaviour
Out of all the alcohol and caffeine side effects, the false sense of alertness could lead to the most immediate danger. This sense of being awake and less inhibited could lead to poor judgement and taking more risks, including:
- Unprotected sex
- Drink-driving
- Engaging in behaviour that is more likely to result in accidents and injuries
Young adults, especially, are more predisposed to this risky behaviour. A study in 2021 found that “mixing energy drinks with alcohol, which is very fashionable among young people, predisposes to drink-driving.” A review of studies in 2015 where 62 studies showed that young people who drank caffeine-alcohol combination drinks “experienced more alcohol-related harm than other drinkers.”
5. Increased Likelihood of Addiction
Mixing caffeine and alcohol could lead to an alcohol addiction over time. This is because caffeinated drinks, like energy drinks, can encourage repetitive drinking patterns. They can make you drink and binge for longer. The more you engage in heavy drinking, the quicker your tolerance goes up. Soon, more and more alcohol is needed to feel the same effects as before.
Quickly, psychological dependence can develop. You’ll begin to associate drinking alcohol with being energised, socialising and being a more confident version of yourself. This creates a cycle where you go to alcohol to cope with negative feelings and make you believe you need it to “perform” better in public.
Very soon, this confident and energised version of you will devolve into someone who desperately needs rehabilitation.
Long-Term Health Risks of Mixing Caffeine and Alcohol
There are many longer-term energy drinks and alcohol health risks.
These drinks can impact your mental health, worsening anxiety, which can lead to more frequent panic attacks. That much caffeine in your system regularly can also lead to insomnia, which will negatively impact your mental health.
The combination of caffeine and alcohol can also cause liver damage. Together, they encourage drinking, and this can lead to too much toxicity due to the alcohol for your liver to deal with.
Heart problems are a danger – palpitations, irregular heartbeat, and long-term cardiovascular disease are all serious possibilities.
Substance abuse is also a significant danger, with the effects of energy drinks and other caffeinated drinks encouraging continuing patterns of heavy alcohol consumption.
Recognising Problematic Drinking Habits
You should be aware of the warning signs that someone may be struggling with alcoholism.
Signs include:
- Regularly combining caffeine and alcohol to stay awake longer
- Drinking more than planned in social situations
- Depending on alcohol to feel relaxed or confident
- Experiencing blackouts, memory loss, or hangovers more often
- Struggling to cut down or stop drinking despite wanting to
Treatment Options for Alcohol Dependency
When it comes to dealing with alcohol misuse, early intervention is key.
Rehab Clinics Group provide residential addiction treatment programmes that are comprehensive and effective, dealing with all aspects of your addiction.
- Alcohol Detox: This is the process of ending your physical alcohol dependence. You will undergo a safe management of withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision.
- Rehabilitation therapy: Here, you will deal with the psychological side. Therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and group therapy will help with long-term recovery.
- Holistic Treatments: Sessions in yoga, mindfulness, and stress-relief techniques will boost your mental well-being.
- Aftercare Support: Your journey with us doesn’t end with rehab. You’ll have access to continued therapy and relapse prevention plans to help you stay on track.
Making Safer Choices
So, is it dangerous to mix alcohol and energy drinks?
Yes, there are many dangers when it comes to caffeine and alcohol. Binge drinking, alcohol poisoning and addiction are all distinct possibilities.
You should consider your drinking habits and, hopefully, with this information, make a more informed choice about your alcohol consumption.
If you need help, we at Rehab Clinics Group can help. We provide confidential advice, support and treatment options. Call us now at 0800 470 0382 or text HELP to 83222 for more information about our alcohol rehab network.
