Do Energy Drinks Fuel Alcohol Dependency?

by The Editors on November 17, 2010

According to a recent study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and reported in Time Magazine college students who drink more than 52 energy drinks “like Red Bull and Monster” each year are more likely to have problems with alcohol than students who don’t drink any of the caffeinated sugar water drinks:

These high-frequency energy drink consumers were also more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Compared with students who abstained from using energy drinks, the high-frequency users were 2.4 times more likely to be considered alcohol dependent; compared with the low-frequency group, they were 86% more likely.

Researchers weren’t sure if the data went the other way, however, as students may use the energy drinks to “overcome the affects of hangovers.” Either way, it reminds us of something a skate team manager said when we accidentally kicked over a can of Monster at a recent skate contest: “No worries,” he said. “You just saved some kid’s life.”

[Link: Time.com]

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