The combination of alcohol and energy drink, which contains among other things caffeine, has the effect of masking the feeling of intoxication. And could thus multiply risky behavior.
“No, Red Bull is not dangerous for your health. “This statement can be read on the website of the iconic bull energy drink, in the” Frequently Asked Questions “section. The manufacturer, which boasts that more than 4 billion cans were consumed worldwide in 2011, also answers the questions “Can we drink too much Red Bull?” “And” Can we mix Red Bull with alcohol? “.
In fact, for some time now, questions have arisen concerning the potential effects of energy drinks. The tax on energy drinks, known as the “Red Bull tax”, was even included in the social security financing bill before to be censored by the Constitutional Council on December 13th.
ANSES (National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety) is currently in charge of monitoring adverse effects that may be linked to energy drinks.
But so far, scientific arguments are lacking to incriminate these drinks, frequently consumed in festive environments by young people. Specialists can see the dangers in their consultations. The fact of mixing alcohol and caffeine masks in particular the feeling of drunkenness, one of the effects sought by this public.
Listen to Dr Florence Vorspan, doctor in charge of CSAPA (1) Espace Murger (Fernand Widal Hospital, Paris): “This makes it possible to consume more alcohol without having the effects of drowsiness.”
Moreover, among the patients in her department, the addictologist psychiatrist regularly observes that people who have other addictions in addition present a complex situation due to their consumption of caffeinated drinks.
Listen to Dr Florence Vorspan: “We see people in difficulty because they abuse caffeinated drinks.”
Lately, studies published in the American journal JAMA (Journal of the American medical association) reviewed the effects of the association between alcohol and caffeine contained in energy drinks. The authors of one of the publications made three hypotheses: 1) by inhibiting the sedative effect of alcohol, caffeine reduces the sensation of intoxication; 2) the fact that the feeling of intoxication is reduced impairs judgment with regard to risky behavior; 3) the reduction in the feeling of intoxication induces an increased consumption of alcohol. In particular, the authors found that people who choose to consume alcohol with energy drinks are more likely to adopt risky behaviors.
For comparison, one of the studies published by JAMA notes that an espresso coffee contains 64 mg of caffeine, while a 250 ml can (the smallest sold) of Red Bull contains 80 mg, “the equivalent to what is contained in a coffee ”, according to the producer. The site specifies that “healthy adults do not fear the risk of the effects of caffeine if their consumption does not exceed 400 mg per day”, the equivalent of five cans, as long as one does not consume caffeine on the other hand. For Dr Florence Vorspan, it is not excluded that the combination of alcohol and energy drinks “increases the risk of dependence, because the effect [de l’alcool] is increased. When we think of young people who start to have a little abusive consumption, what hooks them and keeps them consuming afterwards is having a huge effect. And the greater the effect, the greater the addictive potential. “
The scientific authors of the publications on the subject still lack the data to rule on the risks arising from the consumption of energy drinks. For its part, for the moment, the Ministry of Health recommends that in general, “these drinks should be consumed in moderation and advises against consuming” more than 125 ml per day, or the capacity of half a can standard (250 ml) ”for drinks which contain the combination of caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone (a derivative of sugar) in high doses.
(1) Support and prevention care center in addictology
