Mixing Caffeine with Alcohol Doesn't Make Intoxication Safer

Caffeinated alcoholic beverages and alcohol mixed with energy drinks have become popular with youth, likely because of the belief that caffeine counteracts the sedating effects of alcohol. In a randomized study conducted in a carefully controlled laboratory setting, 127 young adult, heavy episodic drinkers (age range, 21–30; 53% men; 83% students) consumed either alcohol-containing beer or nonalcoholic beer, to which caffeine or placebo was added. After consuming enough beer to reach a breath alcohol concentration of 0.12%, participants performed a 30-minute simulated driving task and a test of sustained attention and reaction time.

Participants who consumed alcohol-containing beer had significantly slower reaction times, greater speed varia…