title: The effects of alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) on subjective intoxication and alertness: results from a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.
abstract: The purpose of this double blind placebo controlled study was to examine if specific effects on subjective intoxication and alertness-sleepiness ratings could be demonstrated after consuming alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) when compared to consuming alcohol only (AO).
  
  
  
  56 healthy volunteers rated their subjective intoxication on a scale ranging from 0 (sober) to 10 (highly intoxicated) at baseline, breath alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0%, and at BAC 0.08%, 0.05%, and 0.02%. Alertness-sleepiness was assessed with the Karolinska sleepiness scale. Scores of the AMED and AO condition, at each BAC level, were compared.
  
  
  
  Subjective intoxication for AMED and AO did not differ significantly from each other at any BAC level, except for BAC 0.02%. A significant increase in sleepiness scores was found in the AO condition, whereas scores remained stable in the AMED condition. Sleepiness scores at BAC0.08% and 0.05% were significantly lower after AMED when compared to AO. However, the observed differences between AMED and AO were small and have no clinical relevance.
  
  
  
  Mixing alcohol with energy drink had no overall masking effect on subjective intoxication caused by alcohol, nor had a relevant effect on subjective alertness-sleepiness ratings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aurora J A E
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van de Loo
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Andel
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Charlotte A G H
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: van Gelder
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Boris S G
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Titulaer
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Joris C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Verster
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000523:psychology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D061215:Energy Drinks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: AMED; alcohol; energy drink; intoxication; masking; sleepiness