You may enjoy rum and coke once in a while, but experts now say that combining highly caffeinated drinks (e.g. Red Bull, Jolt, Monster, etc.) with alcohol could be hazardous to your health. This warning comes after the controversial Four Loko beverage, a malt-liquor alcoholic drink, sent groups of college students to the hospital with near fatal alcohol levels in their blood on several occasions. Four Loko is also being blamed in the death of a 21-year-old Maryland woman, who crashed her pick-up truck into a telephone pole after drinking two cans of the caffeinated booze.
When alcohol is mixed with caffeine, the body doesn’t feel the effects of alcohol as quickly i.e. the feelings of drunkenness are delayed, which often leads to an excessive consumption of alcohol. Only when the caffeine wears off does the person feel the full effects of the alcohol.
Utah, Washington and New York state have recently banned Four Loko, and Oklahoma plans to do the same starting in December. Many colleges have sent warnings to students about this dangerous cocktail. But at the end of the day, will these measures stop buzz-seeking young adults from dangerously mixing alcohol and caffeinated drinks?
Dr. Ardyce Yik ND 