Alcoholic energizers

Alcoholic energy drinks are drinks that combine alcohol with the stimulants found in regular non-alcoholic energy drinks. These stimulant ingredients may include caffeine, taurine, various B vitamins, guarana, and other substances that are designed to increase energy and alertness. Combining alcohol with stimulants creates a drink that is both energizing and relaxing, which can lead to increased alcohol consumption and a high risk of negative health consequences.

Legislation and regulation

In some countries, the sale and production of alcoholic energy drinks have been heavily regulated or banned because of the health and social risks associated with them. Governments and health organizations often warn of the potential dangers of drinking these beverages, especially among young people.

When consuming any beverages containing alcohol and/or stimulants, it is important to be aware of the possible risks and act responsibly.

At the end of March, the Moscow Regional Duma adopted Law No. 40-2023-OZ, which prohibits the sale of alcoholic energy drinks in the Moscow region. A restriction on the sale of non-alcoholic energy drinks was also introduced.

History of the emergence of alcoholic energizers

The history of the emergence of alcoholic energy drinks is closely linked to the development of the energy drinks market and changes in consumer preferences. Energy drinks designed to quickly replenish energy and increase physical and mental activity began to gain popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. The most famous representative of this category of drinks is Red Bull, which was first introduced in Austria in 1987 and quickly spread around the world.

The emergence of alcoholic energy drinks can be seen as a natural development of the beverage market, when manufacturers began experimenting with combining the stimulating effects of energy drinks and alcohol. This trend started to gain momentum in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

One of the first and most popular alcoholic energy drinks was a beverage under the brand name "Four Loko". First appearing on the US market in 2005, it contained both alcohol and caffeine in one package. The drink quickly became popular among young people due to its ability to increase energy and cause alcohol intoxication at the same time.

However, the combination of alcohol and caffeine in energy drinks has led to public and regulatory concern because of possible adverse health effects. It has been suggested that the combination could lead to an increased risk of alcohol abuse, as well as cardiovascular problems and other diseases. As a result, many countries have imposed restrictions on the sale of such drinks. In particular, in the United States in 2010, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks to remove caffeine from such products.

Since then, many manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks have either changed their formulas to remove stimulants or stopped producing them altogether. Nevertheless, interest in combining alcohol with energy ingredients remains, leading to new products aimed at meeting regulatory requirements and consumer preferences.

Composition of alcoholic energy drinks

Alcoholic energy drinks often contain high levels of caffeine and other ingredients such as taurine, guarana, caffeine-containing herbs such as guarana, as well as sugar and other carbohydrates. These drinks are popular among young people and are often consumed in conjunction with alcohol, which can lead to an increased risk of various negative health consequences, including increased risk of alcohol dependence, unsafe behaviors such as risky sexual behavior and driving while intoxicated, and cognitive impairment. Consumption of energy drinks in combination with alcohol is associated with increased drinking and decreased perception of degree of intoxication, which may lead to increased alcohol consumption and consequently increased risk of alcohol dependence.

Energy drinks may improve temporal endurance and physical performance due to their caffeine and glucose content, but there is conflicting information regarding their effect on weight loss. Some evidence suggests that combining energy drink consumption with exercise may help reduce body fat mass. However, energy drink consumption is associated with a number of negative side effects, including sleep problems, cardiovascular problems, and an increased risk of addiction and other psychiatric disorders.

In addition to caffeine, energy drinks often contain taurine, guarana, ginseng, niacin, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin, which may enhance the stimulant effects of the drink. However, despite manufacturers' claims, scientific evidence on the effects of these components, in addition to caffeine and glucose, on physical and cognitive performance remains limited.

Studies show that energy drinks with added fruit juice or natural pigments have significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to classic energy drinks containing high amounts of caffeine and sugar. Thus, fruit juice energy drinks and/or drinks with added natural pigments may be preferable in terms of antioxidant properties, but still contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar, which requires caution when consuming them.

Harms of alcoholic energy drinks

Alcoholic energy drinks combine alcohol with ingredients commonly found in energy drinks, such as caffeine, taurine and guarana. This combination can pose serious risks to the health and well-being of consumers for several reasons:

Masking the depressing effects of alcohol

Caffeine and other stimulants can mask the depressing effects of alcohol on the central nervous system. This can lead to a person not realizing how intoxicated they are and continuing to drink alcohol, increasing the risk of alcohol poisoning.

Increased risk of alcohol abuse and dependence

The combination of the stimulating effects of caffeine and the intoxicating effects of alcohol can lead to increased consumption and, consequently, the development of alcohol dependence.

Cardiovascular risks

Consumption of alcoholic energy drinks can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which is particularly dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease.

Dehydration

Alcohol has a diuretic effect and caffeine can increase dehydration. This is especially dangerous during exercise or dancing at a club, where consumption of energy drinks can lead to overheating and dehydration.

Sleep disturbance

Caffeine can significantly disrupt the quality and duration of sleep, which in turn affects your overall health and well-being.

Behavioral and psychological risks

The combination of alcohol and stimulants can lead to aggression, risky behaviors including dangerous driving, and poor mental health.

Risk for young people

Young people are particularly susceptible to the risks associated with alcoholic energy drinks due to underdeveloped risk perceptions and a propensity to experiment.

Increased risk of risky behavior

Consumption of alcoholic energy drinks can lead to more aggressive and risky behavior compared to drinking alcohol without stimulant supplements.

Possible psychological effects

The combination of alcohol and stimulants can increase or cause anxiety, panic attacks, and other psychological problems.

In response to the potential risks, many countries have regulated or completely banned the sale of alcoholic energy drinks. It is important to use such drinks with caution and to be aware of the possible health consequences.

List of alcoholic energizers

There are indeed alcoholic energy drinks on the Russian market, but it is worth considering that information about such products may change over time due to changes in legislation, market preferences and manufacturers' policies. Below is a list of alcoholic energy drinks that were known at the time up to April 2023:

1. Jaguar is one of the most famous brands offering alcoholic beverages with energy components.
2. Strike is another popular alcoholic energy drink that was available on the market.
3. Revo is a drink that combines alcohol and energy components.
4. Adrenaline is an alcoholic energizer whose name emphasizes its purpose of increasing energy and alertness.
5. Jaga is another member of the alcoholic energy drink category.
6. Burn is a well-known brand that offers both traditional energy drinks and alcoholic versions.
7. Flush is a drink that also combines alcohol with energy components.
8. Scorpion is an alcoholic energizer available on the market.

List of studies related to the study of alcoholic energizers

1. Title: "Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: consumption patterns and motivations for use in U.S. College students".

   • Authors: Marczinski, C.A., Fillmore, M.T., Henges, A.L., Ramsey, M.A., Young, C.R..
   • Year: 2013

2. Title: "Effects of energy drink ingestion on alcohol intoxication"

   • Authors: Ferreira, S.E., de Mello, M.T., Pompeia, S., de Souza-Formigoni, M.L.O..
   • Year: 2006

3. Title: "Energy drinks, alcohol, sports and traumatic brain injuries among adolescents"

   • Authors: Ilie, G., Boak, A., Mann, R.E., Adlaf, E.M., Hamilton, H., Asbridge, M., Cusimano, M.D..
   • Year: 2015