Actual Effects of Mixing Energy Drinks and Alcohol Not Yet Clear, Says Report

In a report published in the British Medical Journal, an Australian doctor warned that the actual dangers of mixing energy drinks with alcohol may not be known as majority of the current studies that analyzed the effects were funded by energy drink companies themselves.

Deakin University's Dr Peter Miller said that while most of the studies offer reassuring conclusions, almost all of the studies have been funded by Red Bull, which is one of the biggest producers of energy drinks. Dr Miller added that the results of such studies are often presented during the special sessions on alcohol and energy drinks at international conferences as they have limited disclosure requirements and there is no need to report the extent of industry sponsorship to the audience.

Dr Miller cited the example of last year's Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Drugs conference where over 80 percent of the researchers said that there was no evidence linking mixing of alcohol and energy drinks with any increased health risk. He said that all of the researchers had received financial assistance from Red Bull and only independent researchers had argued about the need for more research.

"These researchers have presented their findings at special sessions on alcohol and energy drinks at international conferences where, because of limited disclosure requirements, audiences may not be aware of the extent of their industry sponsorship. Only the independent presenters argued that more research is needed to assess the associations", he said.

Source: Medindia