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Desire to Drink Alcohol is Enhanced with High Caffeine Energy Drink Mixers
Author(s) -
Marczinski Cecile A.,
Fillmore Mark T.,
Stamates Amy L.,
Maloney Sarah F.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13152
Subject(s) - alcohol , caffeine , binge drinking , unit of alcohol , placebo , soft drink , alcohol consumption , medicine , psychology , food science , chemistry , psychiatry , biochemistry , alternative medicine , pathology
Background Consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks (Am ED ) has been associated with a variety of risks beyond that observed with alcohol alone. Consumers of Am ED beverages are more likely to engage in heavy episodic (binge) drinking. This study was to investigate whether the consumption of high caffeine energy drink mixers with alcohol would increase the desire to drink alcohol compared to the same amount of alcohol alone using a double‐blind, within‐subjects, placebo‐controlled study design. Methods Participants ( n = 26) of equal gender who were social drinkers attended 6 double‐blind dose administration sessions that involved consumption of alcohol and energy drinks, alone and in combination. On each test day, participants received 1 of 6 possible doses: (i) 1.21 ml/kg vodka + 3.63 ml/kg decaffeinated soft drink, (ii) 1.21 ml/kg vodka + 3.63 ml/kg energy drink, (iii) 1.21 ml/kg vodka + 6.05 ml/kg energy drink, (iv) 3.63 ml/kg decaffeinated soft drink, (v) 3.63 ml/kg energy drink, and (vi) 6.05 ml/kg energy drink. Following dose administration, participants repeatedly completed self‐reported ratings on the Desire‐for‐Drug questionnaire and provided breath alcohol readings. Results Alcohol alone increased the subjective ratings of “desire for more alcohol” compared to placebo doses. Energy drink mixers with the alcohol increased desire for more alcohol ratings beyond that observed with alcohol alone. Conclusions This study provides laboratory evidence that Am ED beverages lead to greater desire to drink alcohol versus the same amount of alcohol consumed alone. The findings are consistent with results from animal studies indicating that caffeine increases the rewarding and reinforcing properties of alcohol.