Dangers of College Red Bull Cocktail Craze

Students at Risk for Health Effects of Energy Drink Cocktails

Jul 16, 2008 Naomi Rockler-Gladen

College students are loading up on cocktails made with energy drinks and vodka -- and researchers say this combination may be more dangerous than alcohol alone.

Energy drinks -- such as Red Bull, Rockstar, Full Throttle, and many others -- are popular among college students looking for a caffeine rush to get them through exam week or their 8 a.m. class. But they're also popular at night -- combined with vodka or other alcohol. These concoctions, usually known as Red Bull Cocktails (or Vodka Red Bulls, or Bulkas, or RBVs, or Raging Bulls) are all the rage because of the unique feeling they give of being both inebriated and wide awake. It's become common for bars near college campuses to serve this popular drink, and an estimated 25 percent of students drink them. [1]

Unfortunately, as a recent study in the Academic Emergency Medicine journal discovered, the effects of Red Bull Cocktails may be more dangerous than from drinking alcohol alone--especially if these drinks are consumed in large quantities through binge drinking. [1] While it probably comes as no surprise that an energy drink cocktail isn't exactly healthful, many students are unaware that these drinks may pose actual health risks.

The problem is the combination. Mixing large quantities of caffeine and alcohol is a bad idea. While small amounts of this mixture rarely cause problems -- like a coffee drink doctored up with some Kahlua or Bailey's -- a major dose of caffeine and alcohol together can cause some worrisome chemical reactions. Here's a summary of possible problems.

Respiratory and Cardiovascular Problems and Red Bull Cocktails

Large quantities of caffeine combined with alcohol can slow down your respiratory system, which can result in both minor and serious problems. Dizziness and shortness of breath is the most common problem -- which is usually minor, but can be serious for someone who has respiratory issues.

The same thing goes with another physical problem associated with mixing caffeine and alcohol -- rapid heart rate. This may be a minor problem in most cases, but it's never safe to increase your heart rate drastically. For people who have heart problems, this side effect can be very dangerous.[2]

Risky Behavior and Red Bull Cocktails

An even bigger problem with combining energy drinks with alcohol is that it messes with perception. Simply put, Red Bull Cocktails can cause drinkers to vastly underestimate how drunk they are, putting them at great risk for participating in dangerous behaviors, such as drinking and driving. According to the findings of the study in study in the Academic Emergency Medicine journal, students who consumed Red Bull Cocktails were more at risk for the following dangerous activities than students who drank alcohol alone:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol
• Riding with an intoxicated driver
• Being taken advantage of sexually
• Taking advantage of another sexually
• Being physically injured
• Requiring medical treatment

The Bottom Line

Should you avoid energy drink cocktails? Although small quantities of these concoctions probably will have little effect, binge drinking these two combined may have detrimental health effects and impair your judgment dangerously.

Sources:

1 M.C. O'Brien, et al. Caffeinated cocktails: energy drink consumption, high-risk drinking, and alcohol-related consequences among college students. Academic Emergency Medicine, 15(5), May 2008, 453-460.

2. Nancy Rodriguez. Red Bull is Not the Best Mixer: The Dangers of Combing Alcohol and Energy Drinks. ABC News Online, December 30, 2006.

The copyright of the article Dangers of College Red Bull Cocktail Craze in Campus Life is owned by Naomi Rockler-Gladen. Permission to republish Dangers of College Red Bull Cocktail Craze in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Red Bull and Vodka Cocktail