Message 24824 of 39188 in General Discussion

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> http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-03/ace-caa031906.php
> 
> "The implications of these findings," added Boerngen, "are that this 
> association of alcohol and energy drinks is harmful rather than 
> beneficial, as believed by consumers. Especially because those 
> individuals who combine alcohol and energy drinks, believing they are 
> less impaired than reality would indicate, are actually at an 
> increased risk for problems such as automobile accidents." 
> 
> ( Know I'm pinging an old thread, but hopefully that'll avoid 
> dredging up points already made in prior discussions )
> 
> .dan.

Cool article. I like you showed it. Still this Red Bull + alcohol effect 
studies are not conclusive yet and a lot has to be studied. This study is only 
about small dosis and people to who it might concern drink much more.
But I believe the argument that Red Bull can influence judgement about alcohol 
use and make people believe they can drink more or are (not right) less 
affected.
It is the physical interaction effect between Red Bull and alcohol which I am 
sceptic about.
I don't think that you can prevent Red Bull being sold with alcohol because 
that psychological effect. Maybe a warning as Red Bull does not counter act 
the effects of alcohol could be appropiate. But it is not Red Bull + Alcohol 
is dangerous. It is the person having a different perception being dangerous. 
it is not that people are more intoxicated and having higher risks of hart 
attacks (like those 'few' reports). It is peoples judgements. I don't know if 
you can blame Red Bull for that. 
Ok maybe their advertisment could be misleading. But I think Redd Bull + 
sleapiness could be as dengerous as Redd Bull + alcohol. Redd Bull claims 
about making people more awake might give sleapy people wrong perceptions 
about their driver skills as well. But the claims Redd Bull make, I think, are 
not wrong. It is the mass who makes broadens the claims into e.g. Red Bull 
counteracts Alcohol.

edit: Just read the thread again and saw that the effect which was the least 
debatable is "the effect of Energy Drinks impairing a consumers judgement 
about alcohol consumption"... Resulting in larger alcohol consumption or 
driving while not able to drive. Intoxication is not improved by energy drinks.
It is the phrase energydrink + red bull is bad which makes me think about a 
physical effect instead of psychological. How much would the contribution of 
the psycho bad effect be? Drinking games, impressing friends, nice bartender 
chicks, happy hours, late openening hours, etc. are bad as well and increase 
alcohol consumption as well. Being against Red Bull because it increases 
alcohol consumption and bad judgement about driving skills would mean being 
against alcohol as well. People don't need Red Bull to drive intoxicated or 
drink too much.