Energy drinks and alcohol-related risk among young adults

ABSTRACT

Background: Energy drink consumption, with or without concurrent alcohol use, is common among young adults. This study sought to clarify risk for negative alcohol outcomes related to the timing of energy drink use. Methods: The authors interviewed a community sample of 481 young adults, aged 18–25, who drank alcohol in the last month. Past-30-day energy drink use was operationalized as no-use, use without concurrent alcohol, and concurrent use of energy drinks with alcohol (“within a couple of hours”). Negative alcohol outcomes included past-30-day binge drinking, past-30-day alcohol use disorder, and drinking-related consequences. Results: Just over half (50.5%) reported no use of energy drinks,18.3% reported using energy drinks without concurrent alcohol use, and 31.2% reported concurrent use of energy drinks and alcohol. Relative to those who reported concurrent use of energy drinks with alcohol, and controlling for background characteristics and frequency of alcohol consumption, those who didn't use energy drinks and those who used without concurrent alcohol use had significantly lower binge drinking, negative consequences, and rates of alcohol use disorder (P < .05 for all outcomes). There were no significant differences between the no-use and energy drink without concurrent alcohol groups on any alcohol-related measure (P > .10 for all outcomes). Conclusions: Concurrent energy drink and alcohol use is associated with increased risk for negative alcohol consequences in young adults. Clinicians providing care to young adults could consider asking patients about concurrent energy drink and alcohol use as a way to begin a conversation about risky alcohol consumption while addressing 2 substances commonly used by this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol
• caffeine
• energy drink
• risk
• young adults

Funding

This study was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (grant number R01AA020509). Dr. Stein was a recipient of a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Award (grant number K24 DA000512). The NIAAA and NIDA had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov; Clinical Trial No. NCT01473719.

Author contributions

C.C. wrote the first draft of manuscript and edited extensively. B.A. performed data analysis and edited the manuscript. M.S. edited extensively and is principal investigator of the grant that collected the data.