HU: Healthy University – After Four Loko: The Danger of Mixing Alcohol and Energy Drinks

We all probably know what they are, and many of us probably have tried them before. The infamous canned beverage, Four Loko, has had plenty of publicity regarding the dangers of the alcoholic energy drink, so much so that the drink has since been banned.  But what about the drinks that are still readily available at any bar, like the common Red Bull and vodka that has not gotten as much attention, but might have the same affects?  A new study takes a look at the dangers of combining alcohol with any type of energy drink.
 
The study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research finds that combining these two types of beverages removes any built-in ability your body has for over-indulging, and over-indulgence and alcohol is quite the lethal mix on its own.   It seems that these mixed drinks have very similar side affects of the deceased Four Loko, but are not in danger of being banned anywhere any time soon.
 
The people involved in the study who drank the mixed energy drinks lost the natural control your body has to know when it is time to go home and go to bed.   This might seem kind of obvious, since energy drinks are supposed to stimulate energy, but this stimulation is not beneficial when alcohol is involved.  What is not so obvious is the primary ingredient that caused so many problems.  It is a combination of other things like taurine, glucose and ginseng, not caffeine alone that facilitates the dangerous motivation. 
 
As college students, going out is usually a way of life, or at least a common passing when first starting out on your own.  You have the freedom to come and go as you please without the threat of being punished by parents.  There are more ways to get your hands on alcohol, especially when there are bars that don’t card, and this makes it even easier to have a little too much fun.
 
The author of the study points out that underage drinkers are the most susceptible to the affects of alcohol and energy drinks.  Being too young and in the presence of alcohol is already a bad idea, and adding these mixed drinks will make underagers even more incapable of realizing their limit.
 
If you are of age and capable of going to a bar, which is the only time you should be going, stick with a combination of alcohol and diet soda.  Even better, try one of the healthiest options: club soda and vodka, which has only about 100 calories.  And never forget the refreshing standby of light beer.  This will not only keep your waistline in check, but also your judgment. 
 
Just because mixed drinks that are already mixed in a can aren’t on shelves anymore doesn’t mean the risk is gone forever too. Make the right decisions for your body and stop the problem of mixing energy drinks and alcohol before it influences you.

HU: Healthy University is a new series by HerCampus writer Meghan McCloskey, which centers around Hofstra fitness.