Message 20364 of 39188 in General Discussion

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> Yes it is a popular opinion that mixing caffeine and alcohol can be 
> dangerous but it doesn't have a good scientific foundation.

With all due reference to the opinion that any journalist can make a quote 
from anyone mean anything, I still don't believe that "doctors say" can be 
dismissed as "popular opinion".

Nor, as I said earlier, do I believe that a bunch of educated countries would 
formulate consumer protection laws with absolutely no "good scientific 
foundation".

> There is 
> no proof of an interaction between the two making eachother more 
> powerfull and dangerous. There is no prove that red bull raises blood 
> alcohol levels.

No, I haven't seen it put like that either. My interpretation of the warnings 
was that the stimulant properties of Red Bull ... 

A: by disabling some natural defenses, allows the body to phsically take on 
more alcohol than would normally be the case.

B: by combatting the depressant properties of alcohol, psychologically 
encourages the person to consume more than they are aware of.

So it's not that 
RB + Ethanol = more bad
it's 
RB + Ethanol => more Ethanol = bad

> Do we also have to be carefull that 
> it can be dangerous to combine drinking alcohol with dancing all 
> night because both dehydrate? 

I don't want to go defending this line of attack too much, but it is a point 
that folk are not aware of that energy drinks are NOT viable fluid 
replacements, almost the opposite sometimes. Feeling thirsty and grabbing a RB 
instead of a water (or even beer or soft drink) does not do the job, and 
probably works against your metabolism.
C: The non-quenching factor would also be a contributor to increased 
(alcoholic) drink consumption.
Hence a consumer warning is appropriate.

> > The effect of caffeine on the alcohol intake of rats offered a free 
> > choice of > distilled water and 10% V/V ethanol solution was studied. 

Yeah, that's looking at the point we need to address, I guess.

Another says pretty much the opposite... who's to say? :
-----
The alcohol consumption of malnourished rats increased substantially when 
caffeine, but not isohedonic quinine, was added to their available fluids
-----

I don't know if I have been through all those references, but I was interested 
to see that 90% of folk drink it with whisky in Brazil!

Also, in the PDF, I saw in print for the first time, a statement that although 
(as we are always told) coffee does not sober someone up, it does make them, 
um, behave less drunk and drive better!
Popular opinion vs science indeed!
http://www.safefoodonline.com/safefood/Uploads/health_effects.pdf
---------------------
The authors suggested that caffeine did not
actually enhance performance effects, but rather
offset the deterioration in performance effects
observed for alcohol (71).
---------------------
Later on it repeats my only point:
---------------------
... the consumption
of alcohol and stimulant drinks may cause transient
behavioural effects, including increased aggression,
as well as increasing the ability of individuals to
drink alcohol for longer periods of time (Chapter 5).
The latter effect in itself is a cause of concern as
this may result in individuals consuming larger
quantities of alcohol.
---------------------
... Good read in the rest of that article!

.dan.